A member of the House of Representatives, Mrs Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, on Saturday raised an alarm that her constituency has been invaded by armed herdsmen.
Akande-Sadipe, in a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Olamilekan Olusada, said armed herdsmen invaded Ogunmakin, Gambari Reserve and surrounding communities within her constituency.
The lawmaker, who represents Oluyole Federal Constituency of Oyo State, lamented that the herdsmen had been destroying farm produce and intimidating local farmers.
“The herdsmen use weapons such as guns and cutlasses to instil fear in residents of Ogunmakin,” she said.
Akande-Sadipe said the situation had put in jeopardy the means of livelihood of farmers, thereby exacerbating economic crisis and food insecurity in the South-West region.
“There is an urgent need to do something now so as to avert a further loss of lives, and prevent humanitarian and food security crisis,” she stated.
The lawmaker called on relevant arms of the Federal government and security agencies to intervene before people in her constituency were completely wiped out from their ancestral homes.
Akande-Sadipe who is Chairperson of the House Committee on Humanitarian Services further accused the armed herdsmen of “a deliberate agenda to destroy farm produce and intimidate local farmers”.
She claimed however that, in spite of multiple reports sent to law enforcement agencies, no decisive action has been taken to address the situation, leaving farmers vulnerable and unprotected.
“The failure to act swiftly has emboldened the perpetrators, leading to increased attacks, destruction of crops and threats to lives and property, with the risk of further escalation if immediate action is not taken,” the lawmaker said.
She pointed at the resolution of Igangan crisis, where decisive steps were taken to address similar issues, including enforcement of anti-open grazing laws to restore peace and protect farmers.
Akande-Sadipe therefore called for an immediate investigation into the reported cases of intimidation, destruction of farmlands and use of weapons by herdsmen in the area.
The lawmaker urged for an uncompromising investigation aimed at ensuring the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.
She also urged the House to ask the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide immediate relief materials to affected farmers and communities.
The lawmaker expressed optimism that such support would go a long way in mitigating the impact of the crisis on their livelihood.
“It will also enable them to recover from losses incurred and resume agricultural activities,” Akande-Sadipe said.
She also requested an immediate conduct of an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Ogunmakin, Gambari Reserve and their environs.
“We must engage with relevant stakeholders, including the Oyo State Government, security agencies and community leaders to develop a sustainable solution to the crisis,” the lawmaker said.
