…says herders-farmers clash has been greatly stemmed

…as he assures bandits have been chased out of Ondo forests

By Tola Gbadamosi

The Ondo State Commander of Southwest Security Corps codenamed  Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, has issued a directive to traditional rulers and community leaders across the state to stop leasing or selling land to strangers without first obtaining security clearance from the corps.

Adeleye, in an exclusive interview with Weekend Hope said the measure had become necessary following cases of individuals disguising as herders or farmers who later invite dozens, even hundreds, of others, thereby threatening peace and security in rural communities.

He stated: “Many of these so-called farmers or herders arrive quietly and before you know it, they have brought in 300 others. Communities must stop inviting chaos.

“Royal fathers and landowners should submit the names of potential land buyers to Amotekun for background checks before any transaction takes place. Those cleared would be issued security clearance certificates as part of the new measure to prevent infiltration by criminal elements.”

Recounting the early days of the corps, Adeleye revealed that the situation was dire when Amotekun was inaugurated, with thousands of petitions pouring in as herders’ attacks on farmers rendered farmlands unsafe and brought agricultural production to a halt.

“When we came in, people couldn’t farm. They couldn’t move. We were receiving over 5,000 petitions. Ondo was under siege,” he said.

According to him,  Amotekun  deployed a mix of intelligence gathering, conflict resolution and strategic enforcement to tackle the crisis. The corps engaged leaders of the Fulani community under the Miyetti Allah association, embarked on public enlightenment campaigns and implemented the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Law.

“We made it clear, farmers can farm, herders can herd, but no one has the right to destroy farmlands or graze openly at night. After enlightenment came enforcement,” Adeleye explained.

He said that offenders were either made to pay compensation or were prosecuted, adding that the message was clear: Ondo State would no longer condone impunity or lawlessness under any guise.

With peace gradually returning to the hinterlands, the corps shifted its attention to urban areas where night robbers operating with commercial motorcycles (Okada) had been terrorising residents. In response, the state government banned Okada operations at night, a move Adeleye said led to a more than 50 per cent drop in urban crimes.

He added that unregistered vehicles, often used by kidnappers and robbers, were also outlawed. Amotekun’s clampdown on such vehicles yielded immediate results.

“We went after criminals with untraceable vehicles. Many were caught, investigated and prosecuted. Today, there’s calm in places that used to be hotbeds of crime,” he said.

On the issue of insecurity in forested border communities, Adeleye assured that the state’s multi-agency security outfit, Operation Dada, which includes the military, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Amotekun had successfully dislodged criminal gangs from their hideouts.

“We’ve deployed deep into the forests. The governor provided the needed support. Farmers are returning to their lands. Bandits are no longer at ease,” Adeleye asserted.

He added that the northern axis of the state, which had recently experienced increased cases of abductions, had also been reinforced with additional Amotekun operatives.

The Amotekun commander disclosed that the state government had approved the recruitment of new officers into the corps to address manpower limitations and improve coverage across the 18 local government areas of the state.

“We cover 18 local government areas with limited personnel, but we’re expanding. More boots are coming,” he said.

Responding to criticisms of the corps being labelled as a vigilante outfit, Adeleye clarified that Amotekun personnel undergo regular training and operate under strict codes of conduct inspired by the Yoruba Omoluabi principle.

“We train and retrain. Just last week, we held a train-the-trainers session for top officers. We have less than five human rights cases since inception, compare that to other agencies,” he emphasised.

Addressing reports of inter-agency rivalry with the Nigeria Police Force, Adeleye described the past tension as a mere misunderstanding that had long been settled.

“We now run joint operations with police and civil defence. If there was a rift, that wouldn’t happen. That matter is closed,” he said.

Adeleye noted that Amotekun maintains strategic partnerships with local security groups such as the Nigerian Hunters Association, community vigilantes and traditional hunters who are familiar with the terrain and key to securing remote areas.

“We just conducted a forest operation yesterday with them. They are our partners. We go into the bush together because they know the terrain best,” he stated.

The corps boss appealed to residents to promptly report suspicious activities rather than waiting until after an incident occurs. He stressed that timely information could save lives and help prevent attacks.

“The biggest problem we face is late or incomplete information. We can only respond if we know what’s happening on time,” he said.

He also shared the Amotekun emergency contact number — 0827-999989 — and assured that any information given would be treated with strict confidentiality.

Adeleye commended the government, people of Ondo State and his men for their cooperation and resilience, stating that security efforts can only succeed with strong community collaboration.

“We’re not magicians. The people are our real strength. With their support, we’ve pushed back the dark forces,” he concluded.