From Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo

Osun State government said it has put in place a surveillance team to prevent invasion of foreign herders searching for pastures during the dry season in the state.
The chairman of committee on peaceful co-existence between Bororo farmers and crop farmers, Mr Toogun Oguntola made this known at a sensitisation programme organised by the Agro rangers unit of the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Osogbo.
Oguntola stated that all efforts would be made to prevent their influxas the team had already identified some dangerous routes in some local government areas of the state.
“The surveillance teams comprising of Fulani and Bororo, have the mandate to alert the government whenever they suspect invasion by foreign herders.’
“Other measures put in place to prevent invasion by herders include meeting with the leadership of Fulani and Bororo residents in the state to ensure that they do not harbour foreign herders.”
“We have other measures to ensure stability of peace in the state. I held a meeting with the leaders of Fulanis and Bororos because we are moving towards the dry season now.”
“By next week, we are going to visit Seriki in Oyo. From there, we will move to Kogi, Kwara and Niger States to see the Seriki in those places, because the herders migrate their cattles mostly during the dry season down here.
“We want to meet them and tell them the dos and don’t if at all they want to send people here. These are the things we do every year before the dry season and that is why we have peace in the state with the support of Governor Gboyega Oyetola”
In his keynote address, the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, Commandant Ocheja Emmanuel encouraged the farmers, herdsmen, saw millers and stakeholders on the need for peaceful co-existence and making use of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit of the Corps instead of engaging in a violent attack.
The Commandant discouraged the use of force but believed in peace talks and healthy relationships.