From Jones Adeleye
In just few weeks of its inauguration, the Agro Marshals in Ekiti State on Thursday said it has uncovered a plantation of indian hemp of about 20 hectares of land planted at Eda-ile in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
Recall that the State Government had on April 24, 2024 inaugurated the Ekiti Agro Marshals to safeguard farmlands, schools, and palaces across the state.
The government had said this is with a view to creating a conducive environment for farming to thrive, thereby boosting food security in the state.
Speaking during the passing out parade of the Marshalls in Ado- Ekiti, the state Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji had said the local security outfit is designed to compliment efforts of the Police and other security agencies in the war against criminality in the state.
The Governor had explained that the Agro Marshals became necessary following the instruction of President Bola Tinubu to the Governors to set up a Special Guard to protect farmlands and the forest.
According to him, This, is in addition to suggestions of the security council and that of the traditional rulers in the state, led to the establishment of the new outfit.
However, as parts of the achievements so far recorded in the course of their operation in the State, the Agro Marshall paraded a suspected illicit drug dealer at its Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
Olamide Oni, the Commandant and a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police who parading the suspect who was identified as Jimoh David, told journalists that information got to his men attached to Omuo in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State on May 20th, that some hoodlums had entered a bush at Eda – Ile in the same local government, and that they went there to know what’s going on.
“On getting there, the men were attacked by gunmen and they repelled the attack. Having repelled the attack, the hoodlums fled into the bush along Isinbode-Ara- Ikole bush.On combing the bush, the exhibits were recovered. All of them are Indian hemp.
“In the bush, we saw a big plantation of indian hemp of about 20 hectares of land that have grown and on May 21st, I decided to visit the place to see things for myself, and during my visit, I came across the Kabiyesi of Eda Ile, Oba Benjamin Osho who said he was kidnapped along the place sometime in the past.
“Information equally has it that the same place was where the second in command of Amotekun Corps was murdered in the past”. Said the Commander.”
Speaking further, Oni explained that the Kabiyesi of Eda Ile said he allocated that portion of land to somebody to farm who was later discovered to be the suspect, Mr. Jimoh David.
Speaking with journalists, the suspect, Jimoh David who had earlier confessed to the commission of the offence and suggested bribing the Commander with N500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand naira) to bury the case as confessed by himself, later denied that his brothers who are now at large were the ones using the farmland without knowing that, that’s the purpose they wanted to use it for.
The Agro Marshals Commander told journalists that Jimoh David also confessed in his statement that, that’s the job he’s doing in Ogbese, Ekiti State and that he vowed not to leave the business.
However, the Commander promised to get the plantation destroyed as soon as investigation is concluded on it, adding that the suspect will be handed over to the Police for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.
