"They responded that they were members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders vigilance group whose operation is known to all the security apparatus in the area."
Human right lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, has raised the alarm that members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Assocaition of Nigeria (MACBAN) are now manning Ondo state's major highway.
Barrister Ajulo, in a post on his social media page, said he saw members of the group mounting the checkpoints along the highway while traveling from Akoko in Ondo state to Abuja.
He said: “It is quite true that I was in Akure, Ondo State from Friday, 19 July, 2019 to Sunday, 22 July, 2019 for my mother’s investiture as the Iya-Ijo (chief matron) of our home church, Christ Anglican Church, Oke-Ifira-Akoko, Ondo state.
“On my way back to Abuja on the 22 day of July, 2019, in the company of some security men, we saw two men at the highway around Akoko, Ondo State carrying Dane guns. On sighting them, inquiry was made as to their duty on the highway with guns in their hands, being not uniformed men.
"They responded that they were members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders vigilance group whose operation is known to all the security apparatus in the area."
Ajulo added, "It will not be out of place to ask this poser: is it due to the lackadaisical attitude of the law enforcement agencies and disregard for the input and indelible contributions of our leaders, the OPC and other local vigilance groups that these Miyette Allah groups are now manning our highways in the South-west?”
Meanwhile, Ondo state government has said it was aware of the development.
Mr. Donald Ojogo, its spokesperson in a statement said, “As a measure to curb and possibly, stamp out cases of kidnap in the area, the Hausa-Fulani leadership was directed to select a handful of trusted men amongst them who could serve as tour guides in the thick forest as security agencies prepared to comb the forests. This measure yielded results.”