After the quit notice issued by Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu for Fulani herdsmen to vacate the state’s forest reserves, the Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said that 37 herdsmen and 5,000 cows had so far been arrested for disobeying the state directive.
He said on Thursday that the suspects and cattle, were arrested in Ala, Ofosu and Oda forest reserves.
“Some of them have opted to leave the state because they couldn’t meet with our terms and conditions. They came through the chairman of Miyatti Allah in the state and some opted to go to Osun, Edo and Kogi states.
“So our men escorted them to the boundaries of those states. We have to monitor their movements out of the state so that they would not destroy farms on their way out.
“About 37 herders have been arrested with about 5,000 cows. Majority of the herdsmen have been coming to us through their chairmen and the Special Adviser to the governor on Hausa Matters. We will hand over the culprits to the chairman to lead them out and anybody caught again after this would be arrested and prosecuted,” Adeleye warned.
He called on farmers to always call on the corps whenever their farms are invaded.
“It is always difficult for us to trace the herders after they had destroyed the farms but if we are called upon during the act , we will come make arrest and ensure that the herders pay for what they destroy,” he said.
