Herdsmen crisis: Buhari, Makinde dragged to court

Femi Aborisade, a lawyer, has filed a suit against President Muhammadu Buhari and Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, over alleged killings and abductions in Ibarapa local government area of the state.

There has been crisis in Ibarapa area of Oyo in the past weeks, following an ultimatum given to herders of Fulani extraction by Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Igboho.

Igboho had accused the herders of being behind killings and kidnapping in the area.

The suit, with number FHC/IB/CS/17/2, was filed on Wednesday on behalf of the applicant by Falana and Falana Chambers at the federal high court in Ibadan.

Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation, and Ngozi Onadeko, Oyo police commissioner, were also listed as respondents in the suit.

The applicant made a declaration that every person resident or working in Ibarapa central, Ibarapa east, Ibarapa north, including Igangan, Atisbo, Irepo, Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola, Oorelope, Olorunsogo, Saki east and Saki west local areas (LGAs) of Oyo state is entitled to the fundamental right to life guaranteed by the constitution.

The applicant sought “an order directing the respondents to arrest, investigate and prosecute suspected armed herders, suspected armed robbers and suspected kidnappers who commit criminal trespass, rape, murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal offences in Ibarapa central, Ibarapa east, Ibarapa north, including Igangan, Atisbo, Irepo, Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola, Oorelope, Olorunsogo, Saki east and Saki west LGAs of Oyo state”.

The suit further sought “an order directing the respondents to adopt adequate measures to ensure the  protection of  the life and property of every person” in the areas.

The lawyer also asked to court to direct the respondents “to establish conflict resolution committees among the various communities” in the affected areas listed in the suit.

Aborisade, in a separate affidavit, said he and the residents of the communities have been subjected to untold violent attacks by armed kidnappers and bandits consistently, particularly in the last three years.

As a result of the violent attacks, he said several people have been killed, while many others have been shot by the assailants.

“Owing to several violent attacks by armed kidnappers and bandits, I have not been able to visit members of my family living in Itasa in Iwajowa LGA for the past one year,” he said.

“Scores of women and girls have been abducted and raped by the armed gangs and bandits in the aforementioned LGAs making up Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun geographical areas of Oyo state.

“The police stations in the said LGAs of Oyo state have failed or refused to arrest and prosecute the members of the armed gangs terrorising law abiding persons.”