Date: 2017-05-19

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Olusola Amore has warned against illegal settlement of Fulani herdsmen or any other group of people without due approval.

The duo made the declaration at the police officers mess during a security parley between the command, Fulani herdsmen, farmers and traditional rulers. They both cautioned community leaders against accommodating any strange individual or group in their areas without due consultation.

The Emir, who was represented by the Balogun Ajikobi of Ilorin, Alhaji Issa Jimoh, urged traditional rulers in various communities to carry out thorough interrogation and findings of any strange person and to inform the security agents and the emir about the development.

He enjoined residents of the state to be patient with visitors and to report any rift to the police in their domain for peaceful co-existence.

In his remarks, Amore stressed that the meeting was called following the recent spate of clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, which has claimed many lives and property in the state.

The Police Commissioner said the issue of clashes between the aforementioned is not peculiar to Kwara as it is also witnessed in other states, a situation that has seen people migrating to the state from other parts of the country.

He said information reaching the command is that, some community leaders have been collecting money from Fulani herdsmen thereby giving them permission to settle in their domains without seeking permission from security agents or other constituted authority.

"The money collected from those aliens by the leaders in those communities has made them keep sealed lips. Not until the issue backfires and the Fulani herdsmen began to terrorise the community by destroying their farmlands that the leaders opened up to us.

"The community leaders too must inform their local government chairmen of the situation facing them. There is danger in allowing strangers in the community without knowing the background or where they are coming from."

Amore urged the community leaders not to endanger their lives and those of their people because of money, adding that residents of various communities should be holding meeting with security personnel in their area. He added that government is determined to restructure the vigilante group to fight crime in the state.

"There is need for the representatives of the emir in different communities to play their roles well to ensure the maximum security in their communities and they should establish peace and consultative forum in their area."

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Magaji Alangua Forum, Alhaji Abdulwahab Sanni, said a lot of efforts are being made to tackle clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers.

Sanni said he had always reported the arrival of Fulani herdsmen at his community but they maintained that as Nigerians they have the right to reside in wherever they choose to live.

"Each time we give the alien the opportunity in the community they end up terrorising our farmlands and when we report them at the police station, they pay half of the damages only to return to our farms with their cattle vandalising our produce and claiming they have already paid for them.