Farmers in Ikole-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area, Ekiti, have appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to empower hunters with logistics to help curb banditry and kidnapping in their communities.

The farmers who made the call in separate interviews on Friday bemoaned the incessant invasion of their farms by bandits.

One of the farmers, Adekunle Odegbami, said farmers in the state were no longer safe irrespective of time the time they choose to ply their trade.

“I want to appeal to Governor Kayode Fayemi to empower local hunters with logistics and permit them to arrest kidnappers tormenting our communities.

“The local hunters are familiar with the forest terrain and possible ways to arrest unknown gunmen disturbing the peace of our communities,” Mr Odegbami said.

Another farmer, Foluso Ajayi, said hunters in the communities were ready to join forces with the security agencies including Amotekun Corps but had limited backing from the state government.

“Most of our hunters are fortified spiritually to curb kidnapping but they were not permitted to interfere with the insecurity of the communities,” he said.

Adebayo Ogundele, a farmer, also said the state government should allow the communities to set up a security team that would fight kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery.

“The state government should consider the plights of farmers in Ikole-Ekiti communities, who were always at risk of being kidnapped in their lonely farms,” he said.

Another farmer, Godwin Ojo, said the security agencies, Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Amotekun corps could not fight against kidnapping alone without the help of local hunters.

“The major reason why I am advocating for the recruitment of hunters is that they are spiritually knowledgeable to find a lasting solution to kidnapping in our communities,” he said.

(NAN)