Drama As Amotekun, soldiers exchange blows over seized cows in Ondo

Operatives of Ondo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps and soldiers from the 32 Artillery Brigade on Tuesday evening clashed over the seizure of over 100 cows for violating the state’s anti-grazing law.

Sources said the Amotekun operatives had seized the cows after acting on distress calls from farmers in Oke Aro area of Akure that their crops have been destroyed.

The sources said some soldiers stormed the area and prevented the cows from being taken away over claims that the cows belong to their officers in the barracks.

Two operatives of the Amotekun personnel were said to have been taken away by the soldiers after the sporadic shooting and an exchange of blows.

According to the source: “As the Amotekun personnel was marching the arrested cows to their office at Alagbaka area of the state, soldiers numbering about ten stormed the area with Hilux vehicle and prevented the arrest of the cows.

“The soldiers insisted that the Amotekun men would not go away with the cows because they belonged to their officers from the military barrack.

“But the Amotekun officers insisted that the cows have violated the anti-grazing law and must be taken to the office for the owners to bail them or pay for the damaged farmlands.

“Crisis started with an exchange of hot words and it later snowballed into an exchange of blows between the two security outfits on the street.

“Before we know what was happening, they started shooting sporadically into the air.

“Immediately they started shooting, the residents scampered for safety in order not to be caught in the shooting by the two security outfits.”

Commander of Ondo Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, who described the incident as a minor disagreement between officers of the two security outfits said the issue has been resolved amicably.

“It was the arrested herders that hid under the soldiers to cause misunderstanding between the security outfits. The video you see out there is mischievous.

“Let me confirm to you that the cows have been released to us.”