Oyo Govt Arrests Herder And Cows For Destroying Farmland

The Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority has detained a herder for allegedly damaging 5.4 acres of cassava farmland at the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority Land, Nikko, Iseyin.

The OYRLEA Public Relations Officer, Opeyemi Ogunniyi, who revealed this in a statement provided to journalists in Ibadan over the weekend, noted that other herders escaped with their cattle.

According to the statement, a few cows and rams were seized along with the herder, identified as Alhaji Amosa.

“Sequel to a petition received by a local farmer, seeking justice and reclaiming damages after Fulani herdsmen destroyed 5.4 acres of his cassava farm land at the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority Land, Nikko, Iseyin,” the statement read.

The Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority dispatched an Enforcement Team on Friday to the Farm Settlement along Iseyin-Oyo Road, Iseyin.

In a prompt effort to address the incident and ensure justice is served following a thorough investigation, the enforcement team, led by Rtd. DCP Ojomo, the Chairman of the Environmental Task Force, and the Chief of Staff to the Chairperson of the Rule of Law Enforcement Authority, Mrs I.E. Akinbode, accompanied by other officials from the Authority, encountered an unfavorable situation at the Farm Settlement, with herds of cattle grazing on the farmland.

The Enforcement Team, alongside OYRLEA officials, took immediate action, but only a few cows were apprehended as the herders attempted to avoid capture upon spotting the enforcement vehicles, signaling to the hundreds of cows, which then fled. However, some rams were captured along with one of the herders.

The herder, named Alhaji Amosa, arrested for trespassing and open grazing on the farmer’s land, has been taken for prosecution in court, while the livestock were handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture.

During the enforcement operation, some farmers present for their farming activities at the Settlement shared the challenges faced by the Farmers Association due to herders’ invasions and the destruction of crop produce, a consequence of open grazing.

They expressed their satisfaction with the State Government’s intervention against herders’ invasions, describing the action as a source of relief and comfort.

Mr AbdulRazak Akadi, a farmer and Secretary of the Farmers Association of the Middle Ogun Irrigation Project, speaking on behalf of others, said, “We have been toiling for the herders to reap, we do not make profit on our farmlands and this is unbecoming.”

He further elaborated on other destructive activities by the herders and the losses incurred throughout the farming season.

According to the complainant’s petition, the farm was reportedly destroyed for the second time, despite earlier appeals to the herdsmen to cease such actions.

The farmer, who chose to remain anonymous, stated, “my cassava farm was initially destroyed a month after planting, and despite assurances from the herdsmen that it would not happen again, the farm was destroyed once more on Friday, July 11th, 2025. The farmer has identified the herdsmen responsible for the destruction and is seeking prosecution.”

The Authority, however, assured that a written agreement from the herdsmen to refrain from further trespassing on the farmland will be duly signed to foster peaceful coexistence.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli