Suspected Fulani Herdsmen Invade Farm In Offa After Traditional Ruler Says He Had Made Them Indigenes
Suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly invaded a farm, located behind the Offa University at Aro in Offa, Kwara State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the farm belongs to the spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kwara State chapter, Alhaji Tajudeen.
A source said the farmers repelled the attack and injured some cows in a bid to overpower the suspected herdsmen.
The source said further that one of the farmers, Yakub Salasi, 27, sustained serious injuries during the attack, noting he was rushed to a nearby hospital along Ilemona community for medical treatment, while other injured victims were later transferred to Abdulsalam Hospital, Offa.
The suspects were said to fled when the farmers reportedly alerted officers and men of the Offa Civil Defence Joint Task Force (JTF) in the area.
The incident was confirmed by the spokesperson for the the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Babawale Afolabi on Saturday.
"The JTF Offa division and Vigillante team went to the farm where the victim was rescued and moved to a nearby hospital along Ilemona community for medical treatment," Afolabi stated.
"Meanwhile, in the effort of Offa Civil Defence JTF to arrest the suspects, the cows belonging to the suspected herdsmen were recovered at the farm where most of the cows were injured by the farmers. Later, a Fulani man in the area, one Alhaji Sabo Yaro, intervened and promised to assist the security operatives to smoke out the suspects." he added.
The Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho had last week issued a fresh eviction notice to killer Fulani herdsmen across Yorubaland.
However, the traditional ruler of Offax Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi said recently that the fulani herdsmen within his domain will not leave. The traditional ruler said he has made Fulani people in his domain indigenes of Offa because many of them have become accustomed to the way of life in Offa.
Olofa of Offa, in a short video clip, said, “In Yorubaland, we have Hausas and Fulanis. We need to communicate with them in every possible language they understand. Some of them do not understand Yoruba, Fulani or Hausa and you say you will chase them away from Yorubaland. Where do you want them to go?
"The Seriki Fulani that you are seeing here does not understand any other language apart from Yoruba. If we now go and burn his house and ask him to leave, [it would be unfair].”
M“Since that is the case, they have become accustomed to Offa and I have given them indigeneship of Offa. And I have directed the [police] DPO to prevent anybody from harassing them as Fulanis. I want peace in Offa. I want all the 16 local government areas to see that Offa is peaceful, there is no conflict, we are living together in harmony, so they will copy how we did it. We are not chasing any Fulani or Bororo away, and we are not stopping them from grazing their cattle. We will only give them guidelines.”
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