Two leaders of the Fulani in two communities in Oyo State have tendered an apology for the crimes allegedly committed by some herdsmen in Ibarapa area of the state.
According to a report, the apology was tendered by the Seriki Fulani of Igbo Ora, Alhaji Idris Abubakar and the Seriki Fulani of Eruwa, Alhaji Sule Mohammed, during a town hall meeting held with the state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko and the state government delegation, led Mr Fatai Owoseni.
The two leaders were to have asked for forgiveness from those offended, adding that they are ready to facilitate a peaceful coexistence between the Fulani and their host communities in Ibarapaland.
The leader of the Fulani community in Igangan, Saliu Abdukadir, was absent at the meeting, just as the apology came after the Secretary of Igangan Development Advocates, Lawal Akeem, said the people were tired of the antics of Abdukadir, whom he accused of complicity in different criminal cases.
He also said the community has been forced to pay about N50 million in ransom for different cases of kidnapping and accused herdsmen of regularly vandalising farms and raping women of the community.
Another youth in the town, Taiwo Adeagbo, said no fewer than 15 women have been raped in recent weeks, just as a member of the state House of Assembly, Peter Ojedokun, also told the delegation that Ibarapaland had been peaceful but the peace was shattered recently when Fulani herders started attacking members of the community on their farms, kidnapping persons and committing crimes.
Caretaker Chairman of Ibarapa North-West Local Council Development Area, Okediji Samuel Olusegun, also corroborated the allegations leveled against the Seriki Fulani of Igangan as he said he is complicit in the series of security breaches in the area.
Top police top officers in the state and Oyo government delegation toured the trouble spots of Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of the state where they conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the damages in the tension-soaked communities.
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