Farmers Ambassador, Chief Azeez Maboreje has advised South West Governors against the inclusion of Fulani men in the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun.
Maboreje gave the advice in Ibadan during an interview with journalists, stating that the involvement and inclusion of Fulani men in the recruitment of the Amotekun network would compromise the entire system.
According to him, Amotekun is a welcome development that will go a long way to curb the menace of insecurity in the state and also checkmate the excesses and wicked activities of Fulani herders on farmers.
He said, “But I want to advise south west governments not to include the Fulani men in the recruitment exercise into Amotekun Security Network because they will betray and compromise the system.”
While lauding the southwest governors on the initiative and for coming together on the security outfit, Ambassador Maboreje noted that this would be the first time the Yoruba nation would speak in one voice in the country, adding that the development is a sign of unity and victory for Yoruba race.
He admonished Oyo state governor, Engr Seyi Makinde to base the criteria and condition for recruitment of Amotekun personnel on merit and experience as well as the “Omoluabi” title of the Yorubas.
“The recruitment should not be extended to the Fulanis because they are betrayers. They are emissaries, very cunning and wicked and would do anything to destroy the system,”he said.
Ambassador Maboreje who called on the state government for speedy implementation and enforcement of the Anti- Open Grazing law said it was high time the law came into action in order to checkmate the nefarious and evil acts of the Fulani herders.
According to Maboreje, the Fulani herders have not repented from their evil ways since the law came to being, saying many farmers had again suffered from their evil activities.
He said, “The Fulanis after the passage of the Bill into law have continued to destroy and attack our farmers with their cattle. That is why I am calling on the state government to implement and enforce the law in order to checkmate the excesses of the Fulani herders across the state.
“For instance, I received a call on a Saturday that a farmer, Azeez Ramon, 38, was killed in his cashew farm at Igangan in Igboora.
“Also at Ilora in Oyo, another Farmer Segun lost one of his eyes in an attempt to stop a Fulani herder destroying his farm with his cattle. The Fulani was said to have hit him with the grazing rod in his hand causing him to lose one of his eyes.
“Another farmer, Alhazan at Ogboro in Saki East local government was arrested by the police for confronting a Fulani herder Jamiu who was destroying his farm with his cattle.”
The Farmers Ambassadors said upon the development, the police in the area arrested Alhazan, alleging him of killing the herder’s cow, instead of the police wading into the matter with a view to making justice prevail.
“The police in the area are not helping matters at all, we suspect the herders have a kind of collaboration with the police, that’s is the reason the herders have the guts to perpetuate their evil act and confront our people.
“We have reported the issue to our father, the Baale Agbe in Council and he has waded into the matter, that is why we are calling for the implementation of the law.
“We sincerely hope that the Amotekun initiative will put an end into the criminal activities of the Fulanis this time around because farmers in the state have suffered so much in the hands of the Fulani herders,” he said,
Maboreje while appealing to people of the state to support and cooperate with the government on the security matters, advised governor Makinde to extend the recruitment of Amotekun personnel to farmers in the state.
He explained that the move would contribute meaningfully to the success of the security network.
Credit: westernpostnigeria.com
