Insecurity: Tension Mounts Over Massive Influx Of Fulanis To The South

Security concerns have mounted from Kogi to Oyo State in the last one week, over what has been found out to be a mass movement of Fulani families southwards.

In Oyo State, a meeting of the Yoruba World Assembly held at the Parliament Building on Thursday was informed of Fulani herdsmen trooping into the state from neighbouring countries through Saki East, Saki West and Atisbo local government areas. 

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Last Saturday, at about 12 noon, in Okunran community, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, truck loads of Fulani men, women and children were intercepted at the point of their settling in a forest area of the community. 

They told locals that they were there as refugees fleeing from bandits ravaging their homes in Niger State.

The scores of the Fulani migrants confessed to local government authorities that they were from Niger State and wanted to settle at the location where they were intercepted by officials of the local government led by the chairman, Mr Pius Kolawole, in collaboration with locals and security agencies. 

A statement last Sunday signed by media assistant to the council chairman, Mr Eniola Olayemi, had alleged that the local government authorities returned over 100 Fulanis in trucks moving to Okunran illegally to settle without a clear mission. 

The statement said the council chairman had taken the security of the area seriously since he assumed office and had held series of meetings as regards the invasion of Yagba West by the Fulani herdsmen.

He said the Fulanis were intercepted on Saturday and their loaded truck was escorted out of the local government area with the support of security agencies. The statement said Yagba West under Kolawole’s leadership “is determined to ensure that security of life and property is actualised to the fullest.”

However, the special adviser on media to the chairman, Mr Toba Abraham, while speaking to Saturday Tribune on Thursday, disclosed that not all the Fulani herdsmen were turned back to Niger State.

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He said that the local government chairman and security and other relevant officials held a meeting on that day where they screened and interrogated the Fulani herdsmen women and their children. 

Abraham said those among them that were able to give satisfactory explanation were allowed to stay, while those who could not explain their mission were turned back to Niger State.