The Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has engaged the services of a private security firm, Global Olabod Resources Limited, to further strengthen the security of the state, particularly to protect the farmers in the forest reserves of the state.
The firm would collaborate with the state’s security network agency also known as Amotekun and other security agencies in ensuring that the hoodlums were flushed out of the forest reserves of the state.
Speaking during a security awareness tour to the Idanre Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday, the chairman of the company, Mr Eniola Ogunbodede, explained that the motive of the state government was to address the outcry of farmers across the state who were being threatened by hoodlums on their farmlands.
Represented by the Operations Manager of the company, Mr Debo Ariyo, Ogunbodede stated that the state governor had deemed it fit to combat hunger in the state by dealing with the inability to produce enough food for the populace as a result of incessant attacks on farmers by the hoodlums in the farms.
He said, “ The state governor (Aiyedatiwa) wants food to be available for all in the states; that is why he has to protect farmers in their farmlands across the state through us, the Global Olabod Resources Limited. We are coordinating all security agencies in the state in implementing this initiative and in achieving great success for the benefit of all and sundry.
“Mr Governor wants the farmers to have assurance that they are safe and their farms are safe as well. We have kick-started the process and that is why we are here so that we can carry you along in the full implementation of this initiative.
“We are creating this awareness and sensitisation so that farmers will not be scared when they see security personnel in their areas. We have been to Idanre Forest Reserve, Akure/Ofosu Forest Reserve and Ala Government Forest Reserve all in the Southern Senatorial District. Later, we will get to other senatorial districts as well.”
Ogunbodede enjoined farmers yet to register to do the needful in order to enable them to cultivate in forest reserves across the state.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Farmers’ Association in the local government, Mr Solomon Akinwole, lauded the state government for taking a bold step in tackling kidnapping and attack on farmers in the state, by engaging the security firm.
“We want farmers to cooperate with the government and get their identification cards even though there is no hideout for any criminal in our forests here because we have occupied all of them, from here to Ondo boundary, from here to Akure boundary and from here to Edo State boundary,” Akinwole stated.
One of the Community Leaders in the area, Mr Jaiyeoba Akingbade, said the community would fully comply with the directive of the government, lamenting that many farmers in the area had been sent out of their farmlands because of the fear of herdsmen threat and attack.
