- The reported renewed attack on the farm of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olu Falae is not true
- This is the position of Ondo state police command
- The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, last week alleged that the herdsmen attacked Falae’s farm again
The Ondo state police command has reacted to reports that the farm of former SGF, Olu Falae was attacked again.
The Ondo state police public relations officer, Femi Joseph, told Premium Times that the report was untrue.
The police spokesman was reacting to the claims by the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, that Falae's farm was attacked again.
In September 2015, Falae was attacked and kidnapped in his farm along Igbatoro road by herdsmen who had earlier repeatedly grazed with their cattle at the farm.
Chief Olu Falae after he was released from the kidnappers den in 2015. Photo credit: The Punch
Those arrested for the former SGF's abduction have since been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ondo state high court.
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Afenifere had in a meeting in Akure, Ondo state last week, faulted President Muhammadu Buhari for his silence over the herdsmen’s repeated invasion of the farm of Falae and other farms in the South-west region.
Spokesman of the group, Yinka Odumakin, said the herdsmen came and destroyed crops at the farm before they were chased out by policemen on guard at the farm.
But the police spokesman in the state dismissed the allegation, saying the incident was a case of theft in a farm owned by one of Falae's tenant.
His words: “The farmland belongs to Falae, but it was cultivated by someone who is using it on lease.
“A man came in there to steal the man’s yams and he has since been arrested. He will be charged to court for stealing.”
He also said the Inspector General of Police had approved the deployment of police officers at the farm.
He also said Falae has police orderlies attached to him as directed by the IGP, adding that the police would continue to provide adequate security for citizens facing threats from the herdsmen.
“We are also tackling the problem by engaging the herdsmen in a dialogue and those who are trying to be stubborn are arrested and dealt with according to the law,” he added.
The herdsmen who carried out the act are currently serving life imprisonment. Photo credit: The Punch
Meanwhile, some Nigerians have expressed anger over the wandering of herdsmen and their cattle on major streets in parts of the country.
This follows the emergence of photos which showed wandering herdsmen and cattle on the streets of Plateau state capital, Jos.
The photos were posted on Facebook by a user, George Onmonya Daniel, on Monday, September 4.
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Watch this NAIJ.com TV report of farmers protesting their members' abduction in Lagos: