The people of Ikole Local Government in Ekiti State are now working round the clock to ensure a permanent ban on the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the zone.
This, according to them, may include poisoning of the zonal waters and other spiritual means to keep the Fulani herdsmen at bay.
It would be recalled that herdsmen bared their fangs recently in Oke Ako, a village in the local council, leading to two death, maiming of many and vandalisation of properties.
Sequel to the gory development, the State governor, Ayodele Fayose had placed a ban on activities of the Fulani herdsmen in the state, noting that any herdsman caught grazing in the state would have his cattle confiscated by his government.
The hunters in the Ikole Local Government have swiftly swung into action after the pronouncement, to ensure strict compliance with the directives.
Joseph Osasona, Chairman of the local hunters in the zone, said his men had comb all the surrounding forest to ensure that the Fulani who come to the area to graze have moved away.
According to him, there has been a collective resolve to ensure that activities of the herdsmen are put to a permanent halt in the area so as to stop the age-long feud that have characterized their operations .
“We have resolved to go back to the method of handling this kind of situation in the past. We shall go spiritual because we can’t be everywhere at the same time. This may include making our waters poisonous to them and their cattle and many other means that will not require our physical presence,” he said.
We will sue Fayose over Ekiti cattle grazing ban – Buhari’s son-in-law
In a related development, a man who was identified as a spy linking the plans of the villagers to the herdsmen is now on the run, following hint that the villagers have identified him
The man whose name cannot be ascertained as at press time, is a Tiv, from Benue state, resident in Irele Ekiti, a neighbouring village to Oke Ako
The hunters are said to have immediately mounted a man hunt for the man who was said to have played major role in the last successful operations of the herdsmen.
By Gboyega Adeoye
