Beheaded Farmer: We’ll Deal With Herdsmen Our Way – Agbekoya
Following killings by herdsmen across the country since the beginning of the year, President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, said his government has grasp of the security challenges in the country and is determined to implement solutions that would stand the test of time.
The President’s declaration came after he emerged from a three-hour meeting with security agencies, including service chiefs, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buhari’s statement came at a time Agbekoya Farmers Association, AFA, vowed to deal with herdsmen, following last Saturday’s beheading of a 70-year-old farmer and injuring of his son in their farm at Iseyin, Oyo State.
They also issued an ultimatum to all herdsmen in their land to leave immediately or face their wrath.
Although there was no usual briefing of State House correspondents after the meeting, President Buhari, on his Twitter handle, said the government would implement solutions that would be acceptable anywhere.
The President’s post on his Twitter handle read thus: “Today (Monday), I presided over a meeting of the security council. We fully understand the seriousness & urgency of Nigeria’s security issues, and are determined to implement carefully considered solutions that will not only earn the confidence of Nigerians, but also stand the test of time.
“Our law enforcement agencies must at all times stay ahead of bandits and criminals, wherever they are across the country, by efficiently gathering, sharing and acting on credible intelligence. I am assuring that we will give them all the support needed to succeed.
“Let me also assure that all persons arrested so far, including those arrested for illegally possessing arms, will be duly prosecuted. I urge judicial officers to be alive to responsibilities in this regard, to enable the speedy dispensation of justice.”
The meeting, which was an enlarged one with heads of Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Prisons Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, lasted about three hours at the State House, Abuja.
At the meeting were the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha; Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and National Security Adviser, Majjor General Babagana Monguno, retd.
Also in attendance were Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS; Lawal Daura; Director of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Abubakar, and Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
The service chiefs at the meeting included Chief of Defence Staff; Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff; Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.
Meanwhile, following the beheading of a 70-year-old farmer in Iseyin, Oyo State, the Agbekoya Farmers Association, AFA, has vowed to deal with herdsmen in their own way, if the federal and state governments failed to curb herdsmen’s activities.
They also issued an ultimatum to all herdsmen in their lands to leave immediately.
This came as the leader of Fulani in the South West, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado, and his counterpart at Oke-Ogun, Alhaji Bello, claimed that they had lost four of their men.
Recall that a 70-year old farmer, identified as Mustapha, alias Baba Jeje, was beheaded on his farm by herdsmen, while his son, who was with him on the farm, was also said to have been injured by the herdsmen who destroyed crops in the farm.
The farmer had since been buried according to Islamic injunctions.
President-General of Agbekoyas Worldwide, Kamoru Okiki Aremu, said the deceased was a gentle man who was very popular at Iseyin. Aremu warned that unless the Federal Government and Governor Abiola Ajimobi arrest and prosecute the culprits, the Agbekoyas would declare war on herdsmen all over Oyo State. Aremu said: “They killed a farmer at Iseyin three days ago. They slaughtered him and then beheaded him. What was his offence? He complained that their cattle ate his dried cassava tubers. It was his child who narrowly escaped that raised alarm. We cannot take this any longer.
“As a result of the killing, some of my members called me to get permission if they could go in search of the assailants. We can’t wait for the Police again. Police can’t guarantee us safety again. We have severally complained to the Police, the state government and the Federal Government and we have found out they cannot handle the issue.”
Asked if it would be easy to get the alleged killer, he replied saying he knew that majority of the herdsmen were stubborn.
“If they don’t release the killer, we won’t take this lightly. We can no longer fold our arms while they have field day mowing down our people. We are ready for whatever happens. Enough is enough. We thought we could live together in peace, but these ones don’t understand the language of peace.”
Similarly, the leader of Agbekoya in Oyo State, Alhaji Shehu said: “We have been given the mandate not to sit by and watch these lawless herdsmen. Our people are already in the bush looking for them.
“We know that the real culprit is not easy to find. What we are saying is that they should leave our lands and anyone who fails to heed the warning should have himself to blame.
“You need to see the inhuman manner they killed the farmer. His children had to be picking his body parts that had been decapitated. Just some days ago, they killed a SARS commander at Saki. We have had enough of these killings and we are tired of it. They have inflicted so much pain on us in this Oke Ogun area and we have been driven to the wall. We can’t tolerate this any longer,” he added.