THE Kwara Police Command has confirmed that it received reports from residents concerning the influx of Fulani herders into the state.
Okasanmi Ajayi, Kwara State police public relations officer, confirmed this to The ICIR during a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
According to Ajayi, there had always been presence of Fulani herders in Kwara State, but some residents recently said they noticed an influx of the herders into the state.
However, he noted that there had not been any reported conflict connected to the Fulani herders in the state.
Ajayi added that Mohammed Bagega, Kwara State commissioner of police, at a stakeholders’ security meeting with traditional rulers, said measures were being taken to prevent a break-down of law and order.
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Bagega, who advised traditional rulers not to abdicate their responsibilities as the leaders of their communities to youths, said that the youth should be put on check at all times for peace to reign in their communities.
While the police have not confirmed seeing large numbers of Fulanis herders migrate to the state, there are reports that the Seriki Fulani confirmed that he now lives in Kwara State after he was ‘chased’ out of Igangan town in Oyo.
Saliu Abdulkadri, Seriki Fulani of Igangan town, left the state following the expiration of an ultimatum issued by Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader in Oyo State, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Photo Credit: Premium Times
According to Igboho, Abdulkadiri was responsible for the several violence unleashed on the people of Igangan by Fulani herders.
After the expiration of the ultimatum, Igboho and his team attacked the residence of the embattled Fulani leader in Igangan community.
Igboho and some residents of Igangan town accused the Seriki Fulani of conniving with some Fulani herders to attack residents of the state.
Fulani herders’ crisis has once again generated tension across some southern states in Nigeria due to alleged destruction of farms, kidnapping and attacks on residents by Fulanj herders.
Recently in Ogun State, some residents of some villages in Yewa North Local Government Area were beaten by soldiers for rejecting Fulani herders in their communities.
After the viral video was made public, Igboho visited some villages in Ogun where a series of violence was reported to have been perpetrated.
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On Wednesday, a viral video also showed women from Uromi, Edo State who gathered in large numbers to protest Fulani herders.
Uromi Women: Killer Fulani Herders Must Go!pic.twitter.com/rnI1yN4mi8
— Ayemojubar Ω (@ayemojubar) February 3, 2021
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94