By Chris Chimezie
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Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Ondo State has vowed to fish out criminals among the pastoralists and called on the assailants to lay down their arms or face the wrath of law.

The National President of the association, Alhaji Muhammad Kiruwa made the vow in a resolution after the meeting of members of the association with the state government.

The meeting was aimed at finding a lasting solution to kidnapping and farmers/herders clashes in the state.

The association in the resolution also resolved to put an end to under-age and night grazing in the state.

Kiruwa explained that his leadership will not condone crimininality in any way, and it has resolved to assist farmers and assure them of every assistance to bring an end to the farmers/herdsmen crisis.

He regretted that members of the group were linked with various criminal activities especially kidnapping and armed robbery as well as frequent clashes with farmers across the state.

“We are here to fish out criminals among the pastoralists. They should come and lay down their arms, and if they refuse, we will work with security agents to go after them.

“We have also agreed to stop night grazing, under aged grazing, and to impose a penalty on whoever allows his cows to stray into farms.

“Night movement of migrants will also be organised with security agents. The state government should also support biometric capture of our members in the state for identification and security purposes”, he said.

In his remarks, Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), assured of his readiness to ensure their resolutions are put to use without delay for sustenance of the existing peace in the state.

Akeredolu who encouraged members of the association to notify security agents about suspected criminals in their domains, promised to enact laws against under-age and night grazing as well as capturing biometric data of all cattle rearers in the state for proper identification.

He assured that the state government will implement all resolutions because they are good decisions, adding that night grazing and under-aged grazing would be looked at almost immediately, so that laws that will ban both will be put in place.

Earlier, Heads of security agencies in the state appealed to members of the Cattle Breeders Association on the need to listen to advice of their leaders with a view to putting an end to criminal activities in the state which included kidnapping and armed robbery.

Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Brigadier-General James Ataguba who noted that kidnapping has been one of the most worrisome security challenges in the state, warned that it won’t be business as usual if they don’t caution themselves.

Also, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Gbenga Adeyanju enjoined members of the group to work hand in glove with security agencies in the state to fish out and identify those truncating the peace of the state.

Contributing, the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Pedro Awili Ideba who said 120 cases were related to farmers/herders clashes last year with 80 resolved, expressed the believe that the issue will be resolved through this interface.

Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, lauded the National President of the association for honouring the invitation and noted that their resolutions will go a long way in addressing the issue of kidnapping, armed robbery, farmers and herders clashes among other issues threatening the peace of the state.

At the end of the meeting, a 10-man committee was inaugurated by the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association to work with security agencies towards ending the ugly trend in the state.

It would be recalled that the state government, after carrying out series of measures to curtail the incessant kidnapping and clashes between herders and farmers, decided to invite the National Executives of the Association to talk to their members, with the aim of assisting the state in ending the scourge that had led to insecurity in the state.