Underage herders arrested for threatening 70-year-old farmer with cutlass

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as the Amotekun Corps, on Thursday, said it arrested no fewer than 49 cows and three herders for violating the open grazing law of the state government.

According to the corps, the suspects are Ibarahim Musa and his two underage children.

The state Commandant of the corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said his men got a distress call when the suspects allegedly destroyed the farm of a female farmer at Kajola community in the Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

He alleged that the herders were harassing the farmer, Mrs Victoria Ajayi, with a cutlass, when the Amotekun officers were invited.

Narrating her experience, the septuagenarian said she was in her house when her grandson alerted her to the presence of the herders.

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

“I asked them to call their father, but they did not listen; they looked at me angrily. As I was trying to tell the boys to take the cows out of my farm, one of them brought out a cutlass and pointed it at my face. Then I knew I was in trouble.

“They were there for hours as the cows ate my vegetable and pepper. I also watched as they dug my heaps of yam tubers with their legs and ate my long-awaited ready-to-be harvested yams.

“I am glad that immediately I narrated my ordeal, they (Amotekun officers) followed me to my house and got them arrested.”

Musa, 52, said he regretted his action.

He said, “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 the Sabo area in Akure when it all happened.”

(The PUNCH)