The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ekiti Command, has released about 120 cows arrested for allegedly destroying some farms in the state.
The command’s Commandant, Mr Solomon Iyamu, explained the cows were released following the herders’ compliance with the terms of settlement given them after their cows’ invasion of the farms at Ogbese, in Ise/Orun local government.
According to Iyamu, “It was agreed upon by the parties that the herders should compensate the farmers with a sum of N500,000 only, covering part of the crops and farms damaged by the cows.”
The NSCDC chief called on the herders to avoid grazing on farms, and especially on crops, in the state to avoid unnecessary rift between them and farmers.
The herders paid the agreed sum to the leader of the farmers, Mr Olaiya Olawunmi, and the money was distributed to all the affected farmers amid wild jubilation from the farmers.
Our correspondent gathered the farmers had, until the intervention of the NSCDC and release of the money, been agitated by the fear the loss of their crops could impoverish them.
The Agro Allied Rangers of the NSCDC, in conjunction with some other sister agencies, had on December 3, 2019 arrested over 120 cows and two herders who were allegedly found destroying farms at Ogbese Farm.
The farm ruins generated tension and fear of an attack by the farmers on the herders, but the NSCDC doused the tension last week by inviting representatives of the herders and the farmers, Alhaji Abache Mohammed and Mr Olaiya Olawumi respectively, to resolve the conflict.
Chartered mediators from both the Peace & Conflict and Agro Rangers units of the NSCDC assisted the two parties to reach a mutual agreement.
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