UNILORIN VC accusses herdsmen of poisoning school dam, destroying multi-million naira research farm

The destructive tendencies of Fulani herdsmen was once again recorded in Kwara State after the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin accused run away herdsmen of poisoning the institution’s dam after pouring chemicals into it.

Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem who revealed that much during a special security meeting held at the institution with leaders of the 11 Fulani settlements on the university land also accused the herdsmen of destroying the multi-million naira research and training farms by making their cattle to illegally graze on the campus.

While addressing leaders of Fulani settlement, Prof. Abdulkareem said; “Enough is enough”, stressing that the university could no longer condone the destructive activities of their grazing cattle on its land, “as this is becoming too costly for the institution to bear.

“We have a multi-million naira programme that is currently at stake now because they (herders) have gone to the extent of uprooting tubers of cassava for their cattle to feed on. We cannot conduct any research or training on the farm again because each time we get to a point where their cattle can feed on it, they go back there and destroy it.

“We care about them but we cannot afford to keep them on our land again.

Read also: Pastor, cohort arrested for robbery

“If they want to continue to be our friends, they can live anywhere around us but they should realise that this is a sacred place. Again, even where there are wars, people leave the university alone. “We are now facing a lot of financial problems and yet they are compounding the problems for us.

“The teak plantation, several times they have set it on fire and there are millions of naira invested in that place,” the VC added.

However, Usman Adamu, Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association told the university management, that the herdsmen who committed the atrocities were not living in the community.

Adamu added that there are other ethnic groups embarking on illegal activities like logging and are not differentiated from the Fulani.

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now