The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, has issued a firm warning against open cattle grazing within Ibadan, insisting that the practice violates existing laws and will no longer be tolerated under any guise.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with members of the Ibadan Traditional Council and representatives of the Ijaye Farm Settlers Association, the monarch made it clear that enforcement would follow words.
He stressed that security agencies had been put on notice to act decisively against defaulters.
According to Ladoja, anyone found moving cattle openly across communities or farmlands in the state capital risks immediate arrest and prosecution.
He described the law banning open grazing as explicit and non-negotiable, urging herders to comply without delay.
“We cannot continue to watch livelihoods destroyed and families put in danger because people choose to ignore the law,” the traditional ruler was quoted as saying.
“Ibadan will not be a place where lawlessness thrives at the expense of peace.”
Furthermore, the Olubadan charged traditional chiefs and community leaders to remain vigilant within their jurisdictions.
He warned that failure to protect residents and property could attract disciplinary measures from the palace, emphasising shared responsibility in maintaining order.
On his part, David Olatunji, chairman of the Ijaye Farm Settlers Association, painted a grim picture of recurring clashes between farmers and herders.
He said members of the association have endured repeated attacks that have left farms ruined and families living in fear.
“Our people are under constant threat, and their means of survival are being wiped out,” Olatunji said, appealing to both the Olubadan and the Oyo State Government for urgent intervention to end what he described as sustained aggression.
The renewed warning comes against the backdrop of a regional policy introduced in 2021, when governors of South-West states outlawed open grazing following escalating tensions between herders and host communities.
Authorities say the Ibadan directive aligns with that broader security and agricultural protection framework.