The Ondo State Network Security Agency, Amotekun Corps, says it has resolved more than 5,000 herder-farmer conflicts within one year.

Adetunji Adeleye, the commander of the Ondo Amotekun Corps, said this on Thursday in Akure.

Mr Adeleye, the pioneer commander of the corps, said his first case involved the arrest of 320 cows for destroying farmlands in the state.

“We all know what it takes to arrest only one cow from a Fulani man, but I brought them to book, and I brought them to justice. Thereafter, I summoned the leadership of both Miyetti Allah and the farmers, allowing each group to know their limitations.

“We did massive public enlightenment for all of them and for farmers to know that they don’t have rights to kill herders or cows and for herders to also know that they don’t have rights to destroy people’s farms or kill farmers.

“We came up with an agreement that Amotekun officers would go into the farm and drive away all illegal herders. So, in less than one year, over 5,000 cases of herders and farmers’ clashes were resolved across the state. In most cases, restitutions were paid to farmers,” he said.

He added that anybody found involved in stealing cows (cattle rustling), regardless of his ethnic group, is a criminal.

“In cases where cows were rustled, whether you are Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa, once you steal cows, I will go after you and bring you to book. We hand over the cows back to the Fulani man for them to know that we are not against any particular ethnic group, but we are against criminals.

“We were able to stamp our feet in the sands of time for them to see that we stand only for justice,” he said.

Mr Adeleye, however, said his appointment in 2020 came with no clear blueprint but to rid Ondo State of crime.

(NAN)