Monarch backs Afenifere warning, as farmers desert farms

The Elerepamo of Pamo, Oba Ayobami Ogunmakinde, in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has backed the alarm raised by the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, over incessant attacks and kidnappings targeting farmers in the South-West.

The monarch made this known while speaking in Ibadan, the state capital.

Ogunmakinde called for proactive measures to curb attacks in parts of the region, particularly in remote communities in Oyo State.

It was reported that Afenifere, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, raised concerns over attacks on farmlands and the kidnapping of residents in various parts of Yorubaland and elsewhere in Nigeria.

The organisation said that during recent visits to the Oke-Ogun area and northern parts of Oyo and Ondo states, residents complained that they had abandoned their farms for three major reasons.

Afenifere said, “First, one is fear of being kidnapped; second is the serious fall in prices that farmers could sell their proceeds as middlemen and middle-women, also known as ‘Onibaranda’, are standing between them and direct purchasers, while the third reason is grazing on farmlands by unscrupulous herders that have not stopped despite several lamentations, warnings and steps taken”.

Speaking further, Ogunmakinde said the recent abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers had heightened fears in the council area, the South-West, and the country at large.

He said, “As far as security is concerned, I would align with the organisation. The fear is too much. Our farmers can not go to their farms again. Our security personnel are trying, but we still want them to do more. Look at what happened in Oriire recently. I had appealed before; I want to appeal again to the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police to upgrade the only existing Police Post in Pamo to a full-fledged Divisional Police Headquarters.

“We are not asking for too much. We are begging them to help us upgrade the Police Post to a full-fledged Divisional Police Headquarters. I believe that with the establishment of two military bases and another Divisional Police Office in Ogbomoso, the issue of kidnapping, banditry, and others will reduce drastically”, he added.