By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Two farmers, Usman Abdullahi and his brother, Usman Abubakir, have accused operatives of the Nigeria Police Force at the Bode-Osi Divisional Headquarters in the Ola-Oluwa Local Government Area of Osun State of unlawful detention.
This is after a confrontation with herdsmen who allegedly grazed cattle on their farmland and destroyed their crops.
FIJ reports that the brothers were first arrested on Tuesday following a physical altercation with one of the herders and were detained until Wednesday morning under conditions they described as inhumane.
They were later re-arrested on Thursday, despite having been granted bail.
Abdullahi, who owns a yam farm in the community, said he had recently prepared an adjacent plot for maize cultivation ahead of the rainy season.
According to him, the yam farm and the new maize field are separated by a narrow footpath, with the new farmland bordering a cashew plantation.
He explained that although he had not yet planted maize, he had already created seed beds in anticipation of the rains.
However, his preparations were repeatedly disrupted by herdsmen who allegedly grazed their cattle across his yam farm and onto the maize beds, causing damage.
Abdullahi noted that he had warned the herdsmen several times to stop trespassing on his land.
“Two of them stopped after my warning but the third man did not. He said there was nothing I could do to stop him,” Abdullahi said.
Recounting the incident that led to their arrest, Abdullahi said tensions escalated earlier in the week when the same herder returned with cattle.
“On Monday evening, only my brother (Abubakir) was on the farm when the man brought his cattle. He challenged him and he again said he would not stop.
“On Tuesday, I was about to start spraying the yam farm when the stubborn man led another person with cows to my farms. I told him to ward off his cattle but he did not. So, I sent away some of the cows and ran after him and seized his club.
“Then we began fighting. We fought for some minutes and he ran back to their village to complain to his parents. His parents, whom I had also complained to, then reported to the police and they came to arrest us.”
The farmers alleged that while they were taken into custody, the herdsmen involved in the incident were not arrested.
According to Abdullahi, he and his brother were detained without access to food or water until Wednesday morning. Their lawyer, Sulaymon Tadese, later secured their release on bail that same day, with instructions for them to return to the station on Thursday.
However, the situation took another turn when they honoured the police invitation.
Family members say the complainants — believed to be relatives of the herdsman — were dissatisfied with the bail granted to the farmers and insisted that they should be detained for at least 48 hours before any release.
Zubair Zainab, the farmers’ sister, said she became alarmed when she could no longer reach them after they returned to the station.
“I could not reach them. Their phones were ringing but nobody would answer. I started feeling anxious. I later realised that they had been re-detained,” she said.
Zainab said she contacted their lawyer, who intervened and eventually secured their release again on Thursday evening.
Despite the arrests, Abdullahi insisted that the police had seen evidence of the destruction caused by the cattle, including damaged yam crops, some of which officers reportedly took to the station.
Yet, no action was taken against the herdsmen, he alleged.
Reacting to the development, Tadese, who also serves as Director General of the Ta’awunu Human Rights Initiative (THURIST), condemned the actions of the police and called for an investigation into both the alleged illegal grazing and what he described as unlawful detention.
“This action is deeply disturbing and legally indefensible. Once a suspect has been granted bail, any subsequent re-arrest must be based strictly on lawful grounds and due process,” Tadese said in a statement on Friday.
Efforts to get a response from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the station, Obasanjo Ilesanmi, were unsuccessful, as he declined to comment on the matter.
He instead referred enquiries to the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command.
The police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that the farmers were re-invited to the station but denied any wrongdoing.
According to him, the decision was taken to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
“They mobilised some people, who looked suspicious, to the village [the parties’ villages are not far from each other] and the herdsmen contacted the station again.
“We had to invite them for a peace talk to avert any breakdown of law and order. They did not spend up to 24 hours before they were released,” Ojelabi said.
Sahara Reporters