Ekiti farmers and marauding herdsmen
August 12, 2012 by FEMI MAKINDE Leave a Comment
Herd of cattle

Suspected Fulani herdsmen and farmers in some parts of Ekiti State have been having a running battle of sort. But the face-off may escalate, as some farmers are daily losing their crops to cattles, reports FEMI MAKINDE

Some farmers in Ekiti are currently groaning in pains. The pains are occasioned by the loss of their crops to the cattles of the suspected Fulani herdsmen who invade their farms from time to time.

Except urgent step is taken, crisis may erupt anytime soon between the farmers and the ‘unwanted’ guests on their farms.

The destruction of farms by herdsmen is not limited to Ekiti State and this has almost become a daily occurrence in many parts of the country.

In April, some Fulani herdsmen attacked farmers in about 10 villages in Ogbomoso, Oyo State and killed one person.

On February 4, one Umar Abdulahi in Bauchi State was attacked in his farm by some herdsmen who pretended to be looking for their lost cows. The marauders were said to have asked Abdulahi the whereabouts of their cows and he answered in the negative. The men were said to have immediately brought out a machete and hit the farmer on the head.

He became unconscious and his attackers left him believing he was dead but a Good Samaritan who saw him raised the alarm and he was rushed to a hospital. He survived it but he lost an eye.

Early in the year, crisis erupted between the Ishi Ozalla community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State and some Fulani herdsmen. Some youths in the community engaged the Fulani herdsmen in a bloody fight for destroying crops belonging to some farmers and even molesting some women.

The fear of herdsmen may prevent some of those who have the interest in farming from taking the risk of planting crops which may be easily destroyed by cows and this is not a good development for the nation which is struggling to become self- sufficient in the area of food production.

Ekiti State Government is seriously urging people of the state to move from subsistence farming to commercial one but many farmers are scared of going into large scale farming because of the fear of losing what they toiled for to the herdsmen and their livestock.

A farmer in Ikere-Ekiti, Mr. Bamidele Okunola, had in 2011 approached First Bank Plc and Amoye Microfinance Bank Ltd, Ikere-Ekiti for a N2m loans to expand his farm. He planted maize and cassava on 50 hectares of land with the loan. He used his only house as collateral for the loan.

However, despite that the two crops showed signs that the harvest would be a bumper one, Okunola lost everything to the herdsmen who invaded his farm and grazed their cattle in it.

Not satisfied with the destruction by the cattles, Okunola, who narrated how his farm was ravaged said the herdsmen came back and set fire on the remaining crops on the farm.

The farmer, who was devastated by the loss, because the banks are on his neck to repay the loans or forfeit his asset.

He brought his son along to narrate his experience to journalists in Ado-Ekiti last week, stressing that despite cultivating 50 hectares, he and his family members were now being daily tortured with the pangs of hunger.

As at 4pm when he came around to address journalists, Okunola amidst sobs, said nobody in his family had eaten anything that day. It’s an understatement to say that the farmer was in grief, his son cut a picture of one of the children in famine -stricken area as his eyes looked sunken and his gait gaunt.

Okunola stated that he was expecting to realise at least N5 million from the sale of the farm produce which he said were almost ready for harvest before the invasion of the farm. He appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to assist him, saying he was on the verge of losing his house to the bank.

He had said, “I am appealing to our governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for his assistance on this matter because I used my house as a collateral in obtaining the loan. My family members and I have not eaten anything today and that is to show you the extent of the hardship. Please, kindly assist me to pay off the loan. I am back to square one.”

Soliciting for government assistance, Okunola said he had intimated the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Babajide Arowosafe, about his loss.

Two other farmers who have suffered huge losses from the invasion of their farms described their their losses as ‘uncountable.’

One of the farmers, who identified himself as Oladele Ogundeji, said the “impact of these rampaging cows is more felt by those of us around Ikere Ekiti, and Ise Ekiti.”

Ogundeji said the herdsmen, when arrested always found a way of coming out to cause more havoc.

He also alleged that some of the herdsmen, apart from destroying farm lands, also engaged in robbery especially on Ikere-Ise Road. He, however, said farmers in the area might be forced to find their own way of safeguarding their farms if security agents fail to guarantee the safety of their lives and crops.

Arowosafe said that the problem of unguarded grazing had become a problem in the state but he added that the state government was looking for a way to solve the problem.

The commissioner said, “For anybody going into large scale farming, insurance with Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation is required. The farmer said that he insured his farm but I discovered that his premium was not paid up to date.

“The man is overwhelmed with the loss and said that he would commit suicide if he was unable to pay the debt. If he had insured the farmland, he would not have been in the present situation.

“But to guard against this in the future, the state government is setting up a grazing land at Oke-Ako where cattle rearers could go to graze their livestock. We have acquired about 2,000 acres of land and we have started to plant grass for the livestock.”

He said that the farmer had expected to be given money the moment he got to his office but he explained that the government was only ready to assist him by giving him land to farm and inputs to use on the farm.

According to him, farmers enjoying this benefit from government are expected to pay their loans after selling their farm produce.

Arowosafe observed that the issue of unguarded grazing was a national problem, saying it needed to be urgently addressed to prevent clashes between farmers and herdsmen. According to him, herdsmen are always quickly released by security agents because there is no law in place to charge them.

He, however, said the state House of Assembly was working on a bill that would outlaw grazing on farmlands. “When it is eventually signed into law, it would then become a crime for anybody to graze on anybody’s farm,” he added.

With the cases of destruction of farms caused across the country by herdsmen, one begins to wonder when unguarded grazing will stop in Nigeria.

One of the major causes of this problem is the porous borders in the country and it is believed that some of the marauders pretending to be herdsmen come into the country from Chad, Niger Mali and beyond. The security agencies must step up their efforts at controlling the influx of foreigners, especially with the security situation in the country.

http://www.punchng.com/feature/ekiti-farmers-and-marauding-herdsmen/

Why won't herdsmen continue to have a field day in the SW, imagine the silly commissioner talking about insurance instead of tackling the root cause and even going as far as providing areas for grazing for the herdsmen but neglecting the victims. smh.
I guess it's high time the SW learnt jungle justice as done in other parts of the country, at least that's what those eediots deserve.

No doubt the average SWner is too accomodating, but then you have the Fulani herdsmen using a divide and conquer technique on most of their victims. Believe me they do this and get away with it all over the country, the incident in Delta state, around Ughelli, along the East-West road few months back is just another example of their divide and conquer successes or more approriately, conquering 'divided' and 'independent' people.

Does that means the laws of tresspassing on others properties are not binding these uncultivated fellow that are bent on breeding troubble anywhere they set foot?

People showed take these insurgents to their game in a jungle styled justice. na only them dey nay.

“But to guard against this in the future, the state government is setting up a grazing land at Oke-Ako where cattle rearers could go to graze their livestock. We have acquired about 2,000 acres of land and we have started to plant grass for the livestock.”

free land to criminals and strangers while victims/indigens get nothing. woooo this is wisdom

He also alleged that some of the herdsmen, apart from destroying farm lands, also engaged in robbery especially on Ikere-Ise Road. He, however, said farmers in the area might be forced to find their own way of safeguarding their farms if security agents fail to guarantee the safety of their lives and crops.

time to fight against these guys not sitting on the fence. liberate yourself cuz nobody will do it for you else there wil be misunderstanding # two.

The commissioner said, “For anybody going into large scale farming, insurance with Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation is required.

the commisioner said this to an indigine, while give free land to a stranger,destroyer and arm rubbers. something is wrong somewhere. is there any secret sw is cultivating along with the core-north that warants fair treatment to hausa/fulanis and ill-treatment to their people?


Note: when i said that tinubu is the most stupid by co-operating with the core-north sw guys tut i hate them.
look this hausa/fulanis hates you like death yet you often allianate with them. gooosh , wat kind of people is this.

“But to guard against this in the future, the state government is setting up a grazing land at Oke-Ako where cattle rearers could go to graze their livestock. We have acquired about 2,000 acres of land and we have started to plant grass for the livestock.”

woops, free land is not enuf the gov also pay for grass planting bills for this destroyers my goodness.
Can they give free water space with fishing equipment to peace loving ijaws living among them?
can they give free land with infrastructure to the peaciful igbos living among them?
what is wrong with this people? are they realy father christmass? or is it cowardice alone?


so strong when they see their southern brothers but very weak as soon as north is concern.
SW has gradualy become the reason behind hausa/fulani domination movement in the south.
Asari make that comment yesterday about SW been the only ally hausa/fulani's has in the south and which is too bad.
the more we plan and move into our liberation from ths malu's the more SW open new doors for them to do more damage.


last month the core-north has the gut to demand for free grazing land in all national states.
all the remaining 4 regions says no to such nonsense demand including SW, but what is happening now just barely a month after they say no.
can't we trust you guys eeh for once.

One of the major causes of this problem is the porous borders in the country and it is believed that some of the marauders pretending to be herdsmen come into the country from Chad, Niger Mali and beyond. The security agencies must step up their efforts at controlling the influx of foreigners, especially with the security situation in the country.

so you guys even know that so many of them is not nigerians yet you give them free land and insist that other nigerians including indigens should buy land no matter why you need it.

i never blv that YORUBAS are cowards as many say, but am having reasons to blv that this days.

fighting and mistreating a brother while acomodatin.g evil peeps will never stop in yoruba land.
is it not when they continue fighting against their brothers that the fulani's has the chance of taking away kwara from them.

pls pls pls my yoruba brothers pls wisen up. your enemies are not your southern brothers but core-north,
your southern brothers are just healthy competitors, never see them as enemy.