From Ouseye Ojo
Yoruba youths across Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti States have called for an end to open grazing in South West Nigeria to bolster Yorubaland’s security.
The demand was made by the Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organisation of Nigeria (YAYON) during the South West and Other Yoruba Speaking States Security Summit on Tuesday at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The group urged Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), and Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) to implement effective anti-open grazing laws. They appealed for accelerated action on ranching to prevent clashes between crop farmers and herdsmen, ensuring food security and protecting farmers from losses caused by cattle grazing on plantations.
YAYON also called on the federal government to curb trans-border herdsmen entering Nigeria with cattle, citing their role in farm destruction. Speakers included YAYON National President Eric Oluwole, South West All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Chairman Adewumi Abass, and Oyo/Osun Police Community Relation Committee (PCRC) Zonal Chairman Otunba Obafemi Arowosola.
A communiqué signed by Eric Oluwole spoke of the need for coordinated, intelligence-driven security measures across the South West. It expressed alarm over rising violent attacks, kidnappings, and farmland destruction by herdsmen, which threaten lives, food security, economic activities, and public confidence.
The summit proposed a South West Joint Security Task Force, including the Nigeria Police Force, military, DSS, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes, Civil Defence, and hunters. It recommended a central command and communication centre for intelligence sharing, a centralised security incident reporting platform, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for inter-agency collaboration and community engagement.