“I got about three death threats after I lost my younger ones in my farm when suspected herdsmen invaded my farm. These people still lurk around”.
These were the words of Maryam Folakemi Ajiboye, whose farm was attacked by suspected herdsmen killing her younger siblings, Rukayat and Olusegun Fasasi.
Ajiboye, who is the owner of Folakem Farms in Ota, Ogun State, recalled that on the 12th of June 2017: “My farm was overrun by suspected Fulani herdsmen and in the process Olusegun and Rukayat who were farm manager and marketing manager, respectively were killed.
“I have been embroiled in heated battles with the Fulani herdsmen who always bring down the fence of my farmland and forcefully bring their cows to graze there.”
The Folakem Farms’ owner, who fled the country following death threats, stated that the latest attack was last week when the hoodlums set her farm ablaze and severely injured the security guard in the farm.
While disclosing that her farm has been in existence since June 2003, she told journalists that she had involved authorities, especially the Police, which led to the arrest of some of the suspects.
“The last petition I wrote led to the arrest of some of the herdsmen when they encroached into my land again and the youth of my area seeing that the task force from the Ministry of Agriculture had arrested them decided to celebrate the arrest and about 13 cows got missing in the process, and this worsened the situation,” she said.
“With the arrest, they have resorted to threats of murder to pass their message across to me. So, I had to run for safety,” she further said.
Ajiboye however, alleged that because of their (suspected herdsmen) close ties with the ruling party, especially political authorities in South West Nigeria, they appeared to have received free ticket to graze wherever they want.
“They believe it is their right to graze wherever they want and nobody can stop them. Arrests have been made severally and many have not been prosecuted for their many crimes against Nigerians,” she said.
She called on the Federal Government as well as the state government to take a decisive step at addressing the alleged excesses the herdsmen.
“It is worrisome that fresh attacks on farmers by the Fulani herdsmen have claimed several lives and houses, crops and farm lands worth millions of naira destroyed or burnt down as the case may be, and there have been alleged incessant attacks of local farmers by the migrated Fulanis who allegedly graze with their cows on the farms of the rural dwellers; governments should do something to stem the ugly tide,” she added
According to her, “The state government should come to our aid and perform the primary objective of a responsible government first; which is giving us security and act in line with her constitutional duties of guaranteeing our security and well-being.”
Ajiboye noted that the persistent herdsmen attack on farmers has, in no small measure, deprived the country of not just lives and valuable properties, but pose greater threats to the food security in the states being affected and the country in general.
REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan
