Herders ‘attack, injure’ Amotekun operatives enforcing open grazing ban in Ondo

A group of herders have reportedly attacked operatives of the Amotekun corps in Akure, the capital of Ondo state.

In a statement on Saturday, Jimoh Adeniken, public relations officer of Amotekun in Ondo, said the operatives were responding to complaints by farmers in Igoba and Osi areas of Akure north LGA when they were attacked.

He said the herders attacked the officers with stones, bottles, cutlasses, and guns, leading to injuries for many of the operatives. He added that one officer was beaten to coma.

“Upon constant complaints from many farmers in the Igoba and Osi areas of Akure North Local Government since the 6th of May 2024 till date, the agency of Amotekun corps from the Headquarters in Alagbaka Akure, responded today dated 5th of July 2024, at about 1600 hours,” he said.

“During the operation, the corps surveillance team was led to the farms by the owners. On getting there, they met over one hundred and twenty cows ravaging the farms and there was nobody with the cows.

“Determined to enforce the anti-open grazing law of the State, the operatives of the Amotekun corps moved the cows out of the farms, and while passing by the Sango Area, at Igoba, along Ado Road in Akure, groups of armed Fulani herdsmen attacked the officers with stones, bottles, cutlasses, and guns.

“Thereafter, the corps retreated based on the order from the state Headquarters of the Amotekun corps. Furthermore, the assailants continued to throw stones and bottles till they invaded the main road and hacked one of the Amotekun officers to a coma while attempting to disarm the officers and men of the Amotekun corps.

“Sequentially, the officers of the Amotekun Corps shot into the air to dislodge them and move back to the office. Unfortunately, other officers sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack and they are currently receiving medical attention at the Hospital.”

In 2021, Ondo state signed the anti-open grazing bill into law.

The move was in line with the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum to sign the anti-open grazing bill into law.