During the campaign leading to the 2023 elections President Bola Tinubu, then the flag bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) promised the establishment of the Agro- rangers to solve the incessant farmers-herders’ crises.
Therefore when the Federal Government of Nigeria, in the middle of 2024, announced the deployment of 10,000 Agro Rangers, many of the farmers in Ondo State felt relieved.
According to one of the president’s media aides Olusegun Dada who spoke via his X handle, the Agro Rangers are expected to solve the problem of incessant clashes and reduce food inflation
“The Agro Rangers will, among other things, safeguard farmlands and protect farmers from escalating attacks, mediate conflicts between farmers and herders, and prevent malicious destruction of farmlands,” Dada said
“While the food inflation crisis in the country is a function of many factors, insecurity has been a long-term challenge.
“This collaboration between the NSCDC and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is expected to solve a major challenge faced by farmers across the country,” he said
However, the relief was short-lived as kidnapping, killing of farmers, and clashes continued to happen in Ondo and Ekiti State.
Death And Fear
In August 2024, one Sunday Ayeni a native of Uba Akoko, Akoko Southwest Local Government was hacked to death by herdsmen.
Ayeni who had previously complained about the destruction of his farms by herdsmen grazing their cattle on his farms and had received some compensation for his destroyed crops, was murdered in cold blood by suspected herdsmen who were unhappy that he was compensated for his crops.
Two weeks before the murder of Ayeni, Jatto Oluwaseyi another indigene of the community had also met his untimely death in the hands of suspected herders.
A week after Ayeni’s murder 18 years 18-year-old Joshua Gbolahan was also killed by herdsmen in Ifira Akoko.
On 7th of September 2024 less than a month after the 10,000 Agro Rangers were supposedly deployed across Nigeria three persons were killed by suspected herders of Fulani ancestry at Ago Oyinbo, Igbatoro Familugba Akure North Local Government.
An unidentified commercial motorcyclist carrying one Sunday Oladele and a woman identified as Iya Samuel was waylaid and the herdsmen killed the three passengers.
A female farmer at Dada camp who identified as Iya Bright told this reporter that kidnapping for ransom is very common.
“Farmers get kidnapped regularly here, some families had to sell their properties to get their loved ones freed. We don’t know who is next.”
When Abiodun Akinwalere returned from Libya, where he had been trafficked by a man posing as a legitimate travel agent promising to give him passage to Europe, he decided to embrace Cocoa farming.
“My biggest regret is that I chose to invest in farming.I spent over 3 million on the farm in Ala Elefosan but I had to abandon it when herdsmen continued to set it ablaze repeatedly.
“Only the brave and armed moving in large numbers still go to that area to farm,many have been wounded and some persons have been killed too. I wished I had used my money to open a shop in town” he lamented.
Amotekun And Hunters Bikers
While the farmers go to farm scared, Ondo State-owned Amotekun Corps was engaged in a superiority battle with the Ondo State branch of the Nigerian Hunter And Forest Security Services (NHFSS).
A bill seeking the establishment of NHFSS has been before the federal parliament for over two years but has not received the needed approval.
In a press statement released on the first day of October,the voluntary vigilante organisation accused the Amotekun Corps of taking the glory for their efforts without proper recognition for the organization.
“Amotekun Corps Commander, Akogun Tunji Adeleye always claiming (sic)the credit of most successful operations without giving us adequate and correct mention.
“Whenever he even wants to mention at all he just mentions hunter, which is not supposed to be. The proper mention is Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service, NHFSS is not just hunters because different groups are claiming to be hunters nowadays, but NHFSS has been passed by the National Assembly.”
The Organisation also claimed that many of the successes recorded by the Amotekun corps in Ondo State were the product of the organization’s efforts.
“I want to state that men of Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service carried out operations in Familugba forest and succeeded by nabbing kidnapping suspects and handed them over to Amotekun Corps.
“Precisely last week, our men in Owo division rescued four kidnappers’ victims and apprehended one of the kidnappers and handed him over to Amotekun Corps, but unfortunately Amotekun Corps Commander, Akogun Tunji Adeleye claimed the credit.
“Even, yesterday Monday 30th September, 2024, our men in Oba Akoko combed Oba forest on the information that someone had been kidnapped, they succeeded in the operation by rescuing the victim and apprehended the kidnapper, and the kidnapper was handed over to Amotekun Corps in Akure.
“I want to seriously state that if Akogun Tunji Adeleye, the Commander of Amotekun Corps cannot give us correct mention of any operation succeeded by NHFSS and made handing over to them, then, it might be difficult to continue handing over suspects to them (Amotekun Corps), I want the government under the able leadership of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to please come to our aide.”
In his response, the commandant of the Amotekun Corps Adetunji Adeleye simply said “We are all hunters”.
He implied that anyone who is keeping his environment safe is a hunter in Yoruba land and it would not be appropriate to arrogate the name to one group
While these two organizations are engaged farmers move around in fear while no farmer spoken to by this reporter seems to have seen any Forest Ranger supposedly deployed by the Federal Government.
Monarch and Politicians
A native of Igbatoro who pleaded anonymity fingered traditional Chiefs in the area as part of the problem.
“Don’t let me deceive you, there are many angles to this problem. Many of the cattle used as a decoy by these criminals are owned by some traditional rulers in Akure North Local government. When your farm is destroyed and you report to them, you will never get justice. Amotekun is trying but the problem lies with our traditional institution.”
When asked if he has seen Agro Rangers in his community he said no.
Like him many of the local farmers across the state have never seen an Agro Ranger, months after they were supposedly deployed.
In a chat with the National Public Relations officer of the Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps Babawale Afolabi, the spokesperson confirmed that Agro Rangers are deployed in every state of the federation and they are present in Ondo State.
On 29th of December 2024, the leader of herdsmen in Ondo state was attacked and killed by persons suspected to be cattle rustlers at Ilu Abo junction, Akure North Local Government.
The Commander of Ondo Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed this said Yunusa was killed by individuals believed to be fellow Fulani herdsmen who wanted to rustle his cattle.
They had earlier kidnapped his wife, but he fought them off and retrieved her.
Unfortunately, they (gunmen) returned, overpowered, and killed him while trying to steal his cows.
“A distress call was placed to the Amotekun Corps’ at the Ogbese outpost by fellow herdsmen who discovered Yunusa’s body at the scene.
Upon arriving at the location, Amotekun officers found Yunusa’s body with multiple machete wounds. His motorcycle was also been set ablaze by the assailants”
This incident once again proves that the Agro Rangers are not known to the farmers and herders and are not working in Ondo State.
This report was supported by the Civic Media Lab
