A human rights organisation, Save the Poor and Needy Charity Initiative, SPANCI has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, over alleged destruction of farmlands by some suspected herdsmen in the State.
The group also revealed that the owners of the destroyed farmlands and properties who lodged complains at the Police station nearest to the scenes of the incidents were allegedly arrested and detained unjustly by the Police.
SPANCI made these declarations via a petition signed by its President, Comrade Yemi Ezekiel Bello.
The petition was made available to journalists Thursday evening.
Bello in the petition, alleged that the duo of Alh Babuga Yaro and Alh Isah, have been grazing their cattle illegally in some communities such as Aladere, Tewure Iju, Elebe, Elemila, Onigba, Onikoko,Haho, Olopoto and Oloori in Oriire local government area of the State.
He added that a lot of farmlands and properties worth millons of naira belonging to innocent farmers have been destroyed.
He said that some of the farmers among whom are Bukari Laro, Bukari Jelili, Yunusa Musa and Ibrahim Leman who went to lodged complains at Ikoyi Ile Police Divisional Headquarters were allegedly arrested.
He alleged that the complainants are currently in police custody as at the time of filing this report on Thursday.
Bello then used the opportunity to call on the IGP to rise up tl the occasion and investigate the matter.
Bello in the letter which was also addressed to Makinde called on the governor to use his good office to salvage the situation.
Bello said, “Urgent petition against an act of frivolous petition, malicious damage, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, wrongful accusation, threat to life, denial of fair hearing, deprivation of personal liberty, dehumanising and degrading treatment, manipulated investigation, unprofessional conduct and conspiracy perpetrated by Alh Babuga Yaro, Alh Isah, others and officer Ajobiewe Augustine and officer Sulemon Babatunde of Ikoyi Ile Divisional Headquarters against Bukari Laro, Bukari Jelili, Yunusa Musa and Ibrahim Leman.
“Alhaji Babuga Yaro who lives in Igboho appointed Alhaji Yisah who is the son of Joro Fulani to head his business with some others has been using his herders for years to terrorise and attack farmers after moving their cows to maliciously destroy their farm and feed their cattles and sheep with their cash crops.
“Many times when farmers monitor them to their abode and called the Ikoyi Ile Police division headquarters in Oriire local government with enough evidence, the Police will turn the case against them to favor Alhaji Babuga Yaro, Alhaji Yisah Joro Fulani.
“Alhaji Babuga Yaro has always been proudly saying that he has money to give police and that the Nigeria Defence Minister is his person that even if they kill people nothing will happen and truly he has been doing it and going away with it.
“Recently Alhaji Babuga Yaro and Alhaji Yisah sent their men again and they went with their cows to their farms where soya beans, maize, cassava and other cash crops were planted and their cows eat crops worth millions of naira.
“They reported the matter to Ikoyi Ile Police division where officer Ajobiewe Augustine and officer Sulemon Babatunde took over investigation and our clients said they inspected the crime scenes, recorded and took pictures of the damage done to their crops but in the twist of events the next thing they saw was that their IPO arrested four of their men and took them to Ibadan Oyo State Command.
“They were wrongly accused that they went to the Fulani abode and poisoned their nunun (milk) they said the Ikoyi ile police didn’t arrest Alhaji Babuga Yaro, Alhaji Yisah or any of their herders.
“On Monday 7th September 2026 Mr Bukari Laro, Yunusa Musa, Ibrahim Leman and Bukari Jelili were taken to Ibadan and are still being detained till now while the Fulanis are still working freely.
“Our client also said that Alhaji Babuga Yaro, Alhaji Yisah Joro Fulani and their herders have been terrorising farmers and attacking them with cutlass and guns after using their cows to maliciously damage their cash crop if they complain or try to send them away from destroying their economy.
“That he and his people have been terrorising and attacking the following villages, Aladere, Tewure Iju, Elebe, Elemila, Onigba, Onikoko,Haho, Olopoto, Oloori in Oriire Local Government Area Ogbomoso.
“We humbly request that your honorable office investigate this matter and call the Ikoyi Ile Police and the Oyo command unit who have detained this people without proper investigation to order and release the detained people.
