No fewer than 100 cases of farmers/herders clashes were recorded every month across Oyo state by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command.
DSC Samuel Opebiyi, Command’s spokesperson, who disclosed this said, Oluyole, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas have been identified as major flashpoints for the recurring conflicts.
Opebiyi noted that the absence of security presence in some remote parts of Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun often forces farmers to take the law into their own hands, leading to cases of cattle poisoning and further escalation of conflicts.
“This security vacuum in some areas has worsened the situation, hence our call for an urgent increase in manpower to cover these zero-presence co|communities.
“Grazing on farmlands and incidents of cattle poisoning remain the major triggers of violence in the affected zones,” Opebiyi said.
He explained that the command largely relies on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to mediate between farmers and herders, noting that the state’s drive for food security cannot be achieved without peaceful coexistence between the two groups.
However, he admitted that the ADR mechanism is under severe pressure due to the high volume of cases handled by the command.
According to him, the Agro-Rangers unit of the NSCDC had prevented an estimated at about 1,200 clashes annually from escalating into large-scale communal conflicts.
“The Agro-Rangers unit has been the silent hero in preventing these disputes from turning into full-blown communal wars.
“A deeper review of the situation, reveals a major manpower challenge, as the Agro-Rangers are currently unable to cover all vulnerable communities across the state,” the spokesman said.
He said despite the challenges, the NSCDC through its intervention strategies have helped avert several violent confrontations that could have mirrored crises experienced in parts of the Middle Belt.
Opebiyi added that the command is promoting a framework of mutual economic benefit, where herders compensate farmers for damaged crops, while farmers respect designated grazing routes.
“With the 2026 planting season approaching, the pressure on the Agro-Rangers unit is expected to intensify, strengthening the unit has become a matter of urgent public interest,” he said.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
Latest posts by Hassan Umar Shallpella (Regional Correspondent) (see all)
- Two Police Officers In Delta State Arrested For Alleged Extortion Of N2.5m - January 11, 2026
- Social Media Platform, X Blocks 3,500 Posts In India - January 11, 2026
- Lagos State To Shutdown Public Parks For 20 Days - January 11, 2026
previous
Consultant In Osun Declares Vice Chancellor, Deans, Professors As Ghost Workers
next