Armed herdsmen destroying produce, intimidating farmer in Oyo – Lawmaker 

The chairman House committee on Humanitarian Services, Hon Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, Saturday, alerted that armed herdsmen are now destroying farm produce, intimidating local farmers in Ogunmakin, Gambari Reserve, and surrounding communities in Oluyole federal constituency in Oyo state.

Raising the alarm, Hon. Akande-Sadipe said the suspected armed herdsmen have invaded the areas intimidating and using guns and cutlasses to instil fear in residents .

The lawmaker stressed that the invasion of the areas by the armed herdsmen has jeopardized the livelihoods of farmers, exacerbating the economic crises and food insecurity of the region.

She pointed out that she raised the concern in a matter of urgent public importance in a motion on the need to avert further loss of lives, humanitarian and food security crisis as a result of invasion of farmlands by armed herdsmen in Oluyole federal constituency on the floor of the house earlier in the week.

The lawmaker called on all the relevant arms of the federal government and security agencies to intervene before the people are completely wiped out from their ancestral homes. 

She said  there is the need for an immediate conduct of an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Ogunmakin, Gambari Reserve, and environs 

Akande-Sadipe also called for engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the Oyo state government, security agencies, and community leaders, to develop a sustainable solution to the crisis.

She lamented that despite alleged multiple reports to law enforcement agencies, no decisive action has been taken to address the situation, leaving farmers vulnerable and unprotected, hence  the need for an immediate investigation of the reported cases of intimidation, destruction of farmlands, and use of weapons by herdsmen in the area and ensure the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.