Herdsmen battle police on Falae’s farm

- The police deploy officers to the farm of Olu Falae following an invasion by Fulani herdsmen

- A gun battle ensues between the policemen and the herdsmen who insisted that their cows would graze on the farm

- The Ondo state police spokesperson, Femi Joseph, says the policemen succeeded in driving out the herdsmen from the farm

The farm of a former secretary to the government of the federation, Mr. Olu Falae, has been invaded by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Kajola Village, in the Akure north local government area of Ondo state.

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The herdsmen numbering about 10 opened also fire on some riot policemen who were deployed in the farm on the order of the commissioner of police in the state, Mrs. Hilda Harrison following the invasion.

Vanguard reports that the feud started after herdsmen over the weekend invaded Falae’s farm and destroyed a portion of it.

The Afenifere chieftains then informed the police authorities in the state and 15 mobile policemen were hurriedly deployed to the farm.

However on arriving the scene, the herdsmen opened fire on the policemen and a gun battle ensued between the policemen and the herdsmen who insisted that their cows would graze on the farm.

During the gun battle, some cows were reportedly killed, while the herdsmen were said to have fled in different directions.

There was no report of casualty on from side of the policemen or the herdsmen.

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This Day reports that the herdsmen brought over 300 cows to graze on the farm.

Falae’s confirmed that a portion of his farm was destroyed by the herdsmen.

He said: “I invited the police to my farm because the herdsmen have been coming to the farm everyday for several weeks and they are no longer hiding.

“They come into the farm around 5 a.m. till 9 a.m. and destroy the farm, so I went to the police for protection and some policemen were sent to the farm at the weekend.

“They got to the farm and met three separate herds feeding fat on my crops, but when the police approached them they fired at the police.

“The policemen went there to see if they could arrest them for trespassing and destroying farm produce. So, if the herdsmen fired at the police what would they do to me?”

Speaking on the incident, the state police spokesperson, Femi Joseph, said the policemen succeeded in driving out the herdsmen from the farm.

Joseph said he was not aware of any exchange of gunfire by the police and the herdsmen.

He noted though no arrest had yet been made, the police was investigating the situation.

Legit.ng recalls that Olu Falae was in 2015 kidnapped by some herdsmen who were later arrested by the police and are currently facing trial.

Meanwhile, any herdsman caught breaching the anti-open grazing law in of Benue state would be dealt with according to the law, Governor Samuel Ortom has warned.

Ortom gave the warning on Monday, June 19, Makurdi while addressing members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim community, who were protesting the threats issued by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association against the new law, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The governor said that the security agencies were ever ready to arrest anybody or group of persons that decided to resist the implementation of the law.

According to the governor, the law will be enforced fully in November after the grace period of transition which is to end in October.

In the video below, Legit.ng visits Southern Kaduna, where residents tell how herdsmen prevented them from getting Red Cross relief materials

Source: Legit.ng