Presence of over 200 Fulani herdsmen and their cattle have once again thrown the Ajowa Akoko in Akoko, North West council area of Ondo state into panic.
The herdsmen reportedly invaded the community in a trailer and a truck from one of the Northern parts of the country to take possession of some piece of land.
However, the spokesperson of the herdsmen Mr Issa Ahmed, claimed his people have settled some leaders in the communities before they decided to settle down in Ajowa.
Meanwhile, Ajowa Akoko communities have eight traditional rulers.
However, some irate youths mobilised in their hundreds and protested against a plan by the herdsmen to occupy their community without notice.
Recall that similar situation occurred that about two years ago at Akunu and Auga Akoko in Akoko North-East council area of the state.
The timely intervention of traditional rulers in the communities led by the former chairman of the state council of Obaship, the Olukare of Ikare Oba Saliu Akadiri Momoh doused the tension and nip in the bud the crisis that it would have generated.
Speaking with newsmen on the plan to occupy their community, the chairman Ajowa in council, the Oloso of Oso- Ajowa, Oba Clement Omoola Jimoh described the incident as embarrassing to the communities.
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Oba Jimoh said: ”To us, the coming to the community of such large herdsmen of over 200 at a time like this is an embarrassment to us in the communities.
” We have informed the authorities and we the traditional ruler’s monarch, the elders, and the security agencies have prevailed on our youths not to take laws into their hands.
Another traditional ruler in one of the affected communities, the Oluro of Uro Ajowa, Oba Tlmothy Ipinmoroti disclosed that Ajowa Akoko said the arrival of the herdsmen in the trailer and a truck was suspicious.
Oba lpinmoroti noted that the communities in Ajowa “remained one of the most hospitable communities in Yorubaland but the way these herdsmen came signalled suspicion and called for caution. We are suspicious of their intentions.
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Also speaking on the development, the Chairman of Ajowa Akoko Community Hon Bakare Ajayi expressed fear over the occupation of the herdsmen.
Ajayi pointed out that the “Ajowa community which is a gateway town needs a lot of consciousness. According to him ” our people have been battling with few herdsmen in their farms who usually use their cows to vandalise their crops. That’s not all we have also faced with security challenges such as kidnapping in this axis.
He noted that ” our people needed to be security conscious as they saw in their luggage’s dangerous weapons such as axes, sharp cutlasses, and swords.
However, the spokesperson of the herdsmen who identified himself as Issa Ahmed that some important indigenes in the communities collected money from them before the decision to come for settlement in the communities.
Ahmed said they wouldn’t have come in the large number if there was no previous agreement with some personalities in the communities.
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Contacted, the Area Commander for Ikare Akoko, Razak Rauf confirmed the development but allayed the fear and anxieties of the people.
Rauf said police detectives have swung into action and the matter was under investigation.
As at the time of filling in this report, soldiers at the Ajowa Military checkpoint are keeping watch over the herdsmen and have not allowed them into the communities.
