Insecurity: ‘Some Yoruba Monarchs Are Traitors… Giving Land To Herdsmen’ – Ex-Police Commissioner

A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Fatai Owoseni, has described some villages heads and traditional ruler in Yorubaland as greedy and traitors.

Owoseni, who is the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security said some village heads in Yorubaland allocated grazing land to foreign herdsmen because of the cows given to them without considering the future implications of their action.

Owoseni said this while speaking at the traditional security meeting organised by the Yoruba World Assembly in Ibadan on Thursday. Participants at the summit were drawn from across the South-West.

He said the foreign herdsmen allocated land to would invite members of their families, friends and fellow herdsmen to come and occupy the land after some time. He stated that as their population increased, such herdsmen would keep expanding and would begin to graze on farms destroying farmers’ crops.

This, he said, was the cause of the crisis between herders and farmers in some settlements but said Gov Makinde had begun making moves to address this in Oyo State.

He said, ” Some baale ( village heads) traditional rulers are traitors. These set of leader would allocate land to foreigners to grace their livestock after collecting some cows from them.

” They would not even carry anybody along before doing so but after some years they would realise that what they did was wrong but by that time there would have been clashes. “

Owoseni, who was also commissioner of police in Benue State before he retired urged traditional religion worshippers to join the government and security agents in finding solutions to the rising problem of insecurity in the state.

The special adviser said there was nothing wrong in security agents using charms to enhance their effectiveness, if doing so was in consonance with their belief.

The Chairman, Governing Council of Yoruba World Assembly, Dr Taiye Ayorinde, told participants at the security summit which included hunters, members of Agbekoya and other vigilantes to support the government to rid the South-West of kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals.

The Convener of Yoruba World Assembly, Dr Taiwo Victor, said Yoruba race must begin to find how to defend itself from foreigners killing and maiming them after destroying their properties. He said these rampaging foreigners appeared to be enjoying the backing of government.