Herdsmen/Farmers’ Clash: Osun Govt Settles 5,000 Rifts
No fewer than 5,000 cases of rifts between herdsmen and farmers that could have degenerated into loss of lives and property were resolved amicably by Osun State government.
The state Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Oguntola Mudashiru Toogun, who is also the Chairman, crisis management between herdsmen and farmers, disclosed this at an interactive session with visiting Staff and Students of Armed Forces Command and Staff college, Jaji, Kaduna.
According to him, to stem the trend of herdsmen/farmers clash ravaging the country in Osun, government set up a high powered committee consisting of stakeholders to nip any complaint emanating from any quarters
in the bud.
Speaking, the team leader, Wing Commander Abiodun Ogunmola, who expressed delight at various empowerment programmes and crime reduction measures put in place by the Osun State government, noted that
the team came to Osun as part of their academic program that would enable them proffer solutions to issues that could trigger crisis in the society.
The theme of the programme organised by the Ministry of Empowerment and Youth Engagement tagged ‘National Security and Youth Empowerment’ gave the team the opportunity to go round the state and assess various measures put in place to empower youths and curb crime.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Empowerment and Youth Engagement, Mrs. Mofolake Adegboyega, insisted that security of a nation is non negotiable for any government.
She opined that unemployment forms a threat to development, saying “youth empowerment can be likened to safeguarding the future in the present time”.
According to her, “dealing with national security, the root cause must be tackled so as to find a lasting solution to the problem with minimal use of force on the people so as not to make the populace lose interest in the government or revolt against it.
“The importance of empowering youths has no bounds as they are agile and able bodied working force of any nation. A nation that empowers its youths have a lot to gain in terms of reducing crime, unrest, thuggery, drug abuse and all other vices perpetrated by mainly their age group.
“Empowering youth means engaging those who can pose a threat to the peace and security of a nation internally, and by doing this, making lives and property safe in the country.
She commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for engaging the youths by rolling out programmes like O’Yes among others, saying such programmes have helped to reduce crime in the state.
