Herdsmen crisis: See what Makinde told Buhari in Aso Villa

Following the Fulani herdsmen crisis in the Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State, the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, met with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in Aso Villa, Abuja.

Giving an update at the end of the meeting, the governor said he sought the collaboration of the Federal Government to effectively tackle the security challenges in the state.

Makinde tweeted, “This afternoon, I met with His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to brief him on the security situation in Oyo State and seek collaborations required for some of our intended security plans to work effectively.

“I asked for greater synergy between the state and federal security agencies. Also, I requested collaboration with the Nigerian Immigration Service for proper documentation of foreign nationals working in mines in the state. Mr President promised to look into these issues.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the governor deployed 200 operatives of the Oyo State Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun in Ibarapaland to address the insecurity in the area.

Of late, there has been crisis between Ibarapa indigenes and Fulani herdsmen accused of perpetrating crimes ranging from kidnappings, killings, rape to invasion of farmlands with their cattle in the area.

Makinde in a statement said the deployment of Amotekun Corps followed a meeting with security agencies and stakeholders in the crisis-torn area.

He said, “Following the meeting held with representatives of Igangan, Ibarapaland which was attended by security stakeholders including the recently appointed Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko, our administration has come up with a security strategy for that zone.

“We have resolved to redeploy 200 members of the Oyo State Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun to kidnapping/banditry hotspots in the state, especially in the Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun zones.

“These operatives will launch missions to rid the forests of criminals. They will be presenting daily reports of their activities to me in the short run and periodic reports in the long run.

“In the next few weeks, we’ll hold town hall meetings and community outreaches, bringing together residents and security agencies to talk about any issues of immediate concern and how they can be resolved through dialogue and more effective community policing.”