By Bisola Adeyemo
About 37 herdsmen alongside their 5,000 herds of cattle on Thursday were sent out of Ondo state forest reserves.
The herders who were forced out of the forest by operatives of Amotekun Corps were accused of flouting the earlier order of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu that herdsmen grazing in the forest reserves should either register with the appropriate agencies or vacate the reserves.
Recall that about two weeks ago, governor Akeredolu had banned, night and herding by under-aged children in the state as part of measures to curb the prevailing security situation in the state.
It was reported that despite the order, the herders still maintained their stand in the forest reserves.
This prompted the Amotekun corps to come into action and evict them and ensure they were monitored out of the state.
The State Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed the operation said “the eviction will be total as most of the herders had vowed not to comply with the registration order of the state government.
Adetunju stated that the herders were evicted out of the Oda, Ala and Ofosu Forest Reserves of the state to neighbouring states.
“Some of them have opted to leave the state because they couldn’t meet with our terms and conditions.
“They came through the Chairman of Miyatti Allah in the state.
“Some opted to go to Edo and Kogi States. So our men escorted them to the boundaries of those states.
“We have to monitor their movements out of the state so that they would not destroy farms on their way out,” he added.
