Olanrewaju Olowonjoyin, a farmer, has narrated how he and his family escaped death when suspected herdsmen invaded his farm at Owode, Ogun State.
The owner of Olanrewaju Olowonjoyin Farms, who is just recovering from the shock, told journalists that before the attack, the suspected herdsmen forcefully brought their cows to graze on the farm.
According to him, they usually lead their flock to destroy all what we planted on the farm which I strongly condemn and complain about.
“So, late last year, I, my wife and three other children were on the farm on that fateful day, when the suspected herdsmen invaded again; we had to flee in different directions.”
The obviously traumatised local farmer who said they escaped death by a whisker said that his security man was seriously injured.
“My farm was overrun by suspected Fulani herdsmen; my security guard severely injured while myself and others escaped through different directions.
“For sometimes now, 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.
“This does not apply to me alone, these hoodlums usually destroy cash crops belonging to the native farmers as well as killings and raping of women who are mostly natives of the communities in Ogun State in recent times,” he narrated.
Olowonjoyin however, called on the Federal Government as well as the state government to take a decisive step at addressing the alleged excesses of the herdsmen.
According to him, “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.”
“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,” he said.
The persistent herdsmen attack on farmers; he pointed out, has in no small measure, deprived the country of not just lives and valuable property, but pose greater threats to the food security in the states and the country in general.
