Ondo Amotekun Arrests Defiant Underage Herders, 49 Cows

Two underaged herders with their father, Ibrahim Musa, 52, have been arrested, including 49 cows by the men of Amotekun following their defiance to the established laws banning use of underaged herders.

Their arrest is not unconnected with flouting the state government’s directive banning use of underage herders and harassing a septuagenarian in Kajola area of Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo state.

The teenagers were said to have threatened Mrs Victoria Ajayi, 70, with a cutlass.

Mrs Ajayi said it was her grandson that informed her that cows have invaded their farm.

“That evening, I was resting after taking my drugs because I was under medication for hypertension. My little boy called and said there were cows in our farm. I saw a man standing afar, while the two little boys were with the cows.

“I asked them to call on their father as they gave deaf ears to my words and looked at me angrily.

Father of the underage herders, Ibrahim Musa, 52, was also arrested.

They were arrested for flouting the state government’s directive banning use of underage herders and harassing a septuagenarian in Kajola area of Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo state.

The teenagers were said to have threatened Mrs Victoria Ajayi, 70, with a cutlass.

Mrs Ajayi said it was her grandson that informed her that cows have invaded their farm.

“That evening, I was resting after taking my drugs because I was under medication for hypertension. My little boy called and said there were cows in our farm. I saw a man standing afar, while the two little boys were with the cows.

“I asked them to call on their father as they gave deaf ears to my words and looked at me angrily.

“As I was trying to make the children understand they should take the cows out of my farm, one of them brought out cutlass and pointed it to my face. Then I knew I was in for a big trouble.

“I quickly called my little grandson and went inside and shut my door. They were there for hours as I watch the cows ate my vegetables, pepper and also watched how they dug my heaps of yams with their legs and eat my long awaited ready-to-be harvested yams.

“I quickly reached for my drugs because I have been managing high blood pressure for sometimes. I quickly took my boy and went out through the back door where they could not see me because I never knew their next move as we are alone in the house.

“The thought of renting another house occurred to me immediately because of the frequent herdsmen invasion with cows to my house. But this time, they almost got aggressive as I can’t predict their next move.

“I quickly left the house through the back door, dropped my boy with a neighbour and took an Okada to Amotekun’s office for help.”

Musa, who hails from Kastina State, described his action as a mistake.

He said he has lived in Akure for over 30 years and had never had trouble with any farmer.

“This is really a mistake for me. I have been living in Akure for over 30 years without having trouble with anyone.

“I was not around when the incident occurred. It was my little boys that were undergoing training on how to become herders that misbehaved.

“I was at Sabo area in Akure when it all happened. The younger one goes out with the senior while on training,” he said.

Commander of Ondo Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said his men responded to the distress call and met the cows ravaging her farm

According to her: “Our response team moved immediately and we met the cows actually ravaging the farmland.

“We also met two under aged shepherds as this is clearly against the Law put in place by the state government.

“This is the reason we got them arrested knowing fully well that their father will show up. The children would be charged to juvenile court to face the Law.”