Oyo farmers returning to communities seized by Fulani man
The Deputy Chairman of Oyo state Council of Obas, Oba Francis Alao, who is also the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, said peace had returned to Kajola and other villages taken over by a Fulani man, Iskilu Wakil.
The Asawo of Ayete, Oba Emmanuel Okeniyi, and farmers in the villages had earlier raised the alarm that Wakil and his armed kinsmen pursued farmers out of the villages and destroyed their cocoa and cashew trees.
Olugbo said on Thursday that the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Oyo state in charge of operations called and told him that peace had been restored to the place.
The monarch said the police officer told him that Wakil, who was accused of pursuing farmers from their farms and destroying their economic trees, had fled the area.
Oba Alao also said, “I spoke with the Commissioner of Police yesterday (Wednesday) and she asked the AC Operations to call me. He called me and told me that peace had returned to those villages.
“He said the ACP got through to the DPO in charge of Ayete. He said the DPO told him that the situation was now under control and the same man (Wakil) had ran away. That is what he told me”.
One of the farmers in Kajola, Peter David, when contacted corroborated the police claims. He said that farmers had started going back to their farms.
He said, “It is true that male farmers have started gong back to their farms. They started today but the man has not gone (is still there).
“I passed through that side on a motorcycle not long ago. Their wives and cattle that they took away during the crisis had been brought back.
“Farmers had stared going back to farm but they can’t sleep there because they don’t know what may happen overnight. The women have not started returning and i believe everybody wants to be sure that peace is back fully before they will start sleeping in the villages”.
Meanwhle, supporters of Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyomo, better known as Sunday Igboho, have set up a gofundme page for the purpose of raising 100,000 Pounds (51.8m) for him to buy buses to implement his project of ridding the South-West of killer herdsmen.
The fundraiser which was initiated by Maureen Badejo in the United Kingdom, garnered 15,964 Pounds (8.2m) as of 8.49pm.
A visit to the gofundme page, showed that several persons of Yoruba extraction has made donations
Sidikat Tope Olufowobi, who donated 200 Pounds wrote, “I donated because i am a Yoruba woman and i want peace in my part of the country”.
Kunle Makinwa, who donated 50 Pounds wrote, “I am Oodua tokan tokan (through and through). We will get (sic) by the grace of God almighty”.
“I have donated my quota”, wrote Tolulope Akinmuyisitan, after donating 50 Pounds.
Igboho had issued a seven day ultimatum to herders in the Ibarapa area of Oyo state, blaming them for kidnapping, killings, destruction of farmlands and insecurity in the state.
After confronting the herders in Ibarapa with some youths in the area at the expiration of the ultimatum, he moved to Ogun state on Monday and was received by thousands of youths.
According to him, the fight to liberate the Yoruba and bring lasting peace is not for the police but for all Yoruba people, irrespective of where they are all over the world.
