Outrage as soldiers who escorted herdsmen to Ogun villages flogged Obas, others for rejecting herders
Nigerians on social media have expressed outrage at the news of the brutality suffered by some villages in Yewa North Local Government Area, Ogun State, in the hands of soldiers who escorted some herdsmen to graze in their community.
The Nation had reported that the soldiers, numbering ten, had escorted some herdsmen on a mission to intimidate the villagers who had resisted an attempt by the herders to graze their cattle in the community due to the alleged destruction of farms and the repeated attacks and killing of farmers by the herdsmen.
The herdsmen who had earlier bowed to the resistance returned about 2 pm on December 19, 2020, with soldiers from the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta.
The soldiers stormed the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, Chief Olaleye Adigun, and warned the community not to prevent the herders from returning.
One Seye Mulero who challenged the soldiers narrated the incident, saying, “Everyone was frightened by the actions and utterances of the soldiers but I summoned the courage to tell them how a Geography teacher, Mr Yomi Akinola, and two students of Community High School, Ibeku, among others, were killed by the herdsmen while our women were raped and killed on their ways to the farm.”
His words angered the herdsmen who ordered the soldiers to deal with him, thereby leaving him with injuries after the beating.
The soldiers who conveyed the herdsmen in a military patrol van also visited the indigenes of Iselu, Agbon-Ojodu, Asa and other villages.
Reacting to the news, one Twitter user @IamOYT said, “Very soon, the people will revolt. The partial treatment given to the herdsmen is not fair.”
@ApostleNonso said, “But when herders destroy farmlands, rape women and men, destroy people’s homes, soldiers are never seen not to talk of punishing them. I don’t know why Fulani herdsmen are so important to this government. Are they a tier of government in Nigeria? What’s there contribution to our GDP?”
@hanthroh4real said, “The same way the Ibarapa villagers-herders crisis started. Governor Dapo Abiodun should act fast and learn from what happened in Igangan yesterday.”
Olumide Emmanuel Oyeniyi said on Facebook, “IGP and ACF will not talk about this evil act from soldiers and herdsmen, but when the people resolve to self-defence, they will order for arrest.”
Elosi Cyril Chinaza also said on the same platform, “Where are these same soldiers when innocent people are being killed? Why haven’t we heard that soldiers escort farmers to farm or are they not humans too? You the westerners really need to do something about it.”
@MaziOlayinkaDan said, “You dare not touch a Fulani. The next thing you see are soldiers. This country belongs to all of us. Yay or Nay? If a Fulani man destroys your crops and you complain, only two things can happen. You may either be killed or shunned.”
@Lizcook2020 wrote: “How many times will authorities show up as enablers to the worst conflicts in Nigeria. No wonder the youth had enough and protested #EndSARS.”
@Stevedameze wrote: “Buhari has destroyed Nigeria. How on earth could soldiers escort herders to graze on people’s farms and brutalise the people? The worst is that Tinubu and Prof Osinbajo couldn’t speak.”
@Oladipo007 wrote: “Today in Nigeria anything is possible. Just to satisfy the elite and some group of mischievous people, the state institutions can be used or abused in that regard.”
