Herders Crisis: Eredo Traditional Rulers Call For Cooperation Among South West Monarchs

Traditional Rulers in Eredo Local Council Development Area has admonished monarchs and activitist in the south west to play their part in ensuring peace and stability is the order of the day in the region.

The tradition rulers gave the admonition at a meeting held with Fulani herders in the council to map out ways to tackle the criminal activities of their kinsmen and business associates.

The advice is coming in the wake of the crisis between herders and local communities in some states in Yorubaland, with the locals accusing the herders of perpetrating heinous and nefarious crimes.

The herders arẹ accused of being responsible for the wanton killing and pervasive abduction in the region, a development that has led to issuance of quit notice to them.

At the meeting on Saturday, the traditional rulers advised the Heads of Northerners and also those hiding under the canopy of the Fulani herdsmen to desist from committing heinous crimes capable of polarising ethnic conflicts in the Southwest.

The Traditional Leaders also warned that Managers of Hotels, Bars and Guest Houses would be consulted to also be vigilant in admitting strangers and visitors as criminals fleeing from other states might be lurking around.

READ ALSO: Eredo Traditional Rulers Move To Check Herders Criminal Activities

Baales, Chiefs and Leaders of Ethnic Groups in the LCDA, they said, would also be invited as such has been the routine of Traditional leaders at all times. They added that the regular security meeting was the reason behind the relative peace experienced in Eredo LCDA and Epe Division at large during the Endsars protests.

Having lamented the inadequacy of Police officers and Utility vehicles patrolling the Lagos-Ogun State border, Oba Ogunlaja appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to, as a matter of urgency, make adequate Provisions for more Personnel and Mobility in Epe, especially at Divisional Police Headquarters Odo-Noforija which operates with only one operational vehicle. The Mojoda-Ijebu-Ode boundary between Lagos and Ogun State, he said, is a very critical and strategic location which needs 24/7 patrol for the safety of lives and properties in Epe as a whole.

In response, members of the Hausa/Fulani community appreciated the Traditional Leaders for the platform provided with them to iron out issues of security concerns.

They lamented the infiltration of their legitimate trading activities by criminals. This they said has given them a bad reputation all over the country, especially in the Southwest where they enjoy a high level of hospitality and economic boom.

They however unanimously agreed to always assist in immeasurable ways to foster peaceful coexistence in the LCDA noting that such was paramount to the growth and development of economic activities.

Ekohotblog also gathered that the Security Meeting is a continuous process as it has always been the custom in the LCDA. While that of the security agencies took place a few days earlier, that of Hausa/Fulani members was next and the Hoteliers, Baales, Chiefs, Ethnic Group Leaders and Youth Organisations would follow suit