The Ekiti Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has arrested nine cows for alleged destruction of farmlands in Ekiti.

The State Commandant, Solomon Iyamu, disclosed this in a statement by the command’s spokesman, Tolu Afolabi, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.

Mr Iyamu, according to the statement, said the command got a distress call from farmers around Datunchi, in Ikere-Ekiti, calling for assistance as herders were destroying their farms.

The commandant said that men of the Agro Rangers unit were deployed immediately to arrest and forestall breakdown of laws and order in the area.

“NSCDC Ekiti command received an emergency call from the farmers around Datunchi, Ikere-Ekiti, while the Manager of Datunchi Farm also called for assistance.

“He explained that some herders have been destroying their farms feeding their animals with harvested crops and wasting other farm produce in their farm over one month.

“We immediately ordered the deployment of men of Agro Rangers to the farm to resolve and arrest the herder and their animals, if need be.

“Consequently, nine cows were arrested and they are in our custody.

“Men of the Agro Rangers disclosed that during the operation the herders took to their heels and left their cows behind,” the statement said.

The commandant, therefore, appealed to herders to desist from grazing in people’s farms and called on farmers not to take the laws into their hands.

He said instead, farmers should put a distress call across to the command for swift response.

Mr Iyamu added that preliminary investigations were ongoing to ascertain the level of destruction done to the farms.

He said that the command would fish out the owners of the arrested cows, after which the matter would be charged to court.