A battle of wits, Tuesday evening occurred between soldiers of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, and operatives of the Ondo State Security Network, known as Amotekun Corps, over the latter’s seizure of 100 cows in Akure.
They cows were said to have been seized for breaching the anti-open grazing law of the state.
The Amotekun operatives, according to sources, held the cows after acting on distress calls from farmers.
The farmers, who called from the Oke Aro area of Akure, complained that the cows had grazed and destroyed their crops.
While officers of the corps quickly responded to enforce the law, soldiers from the Artillery Brigade also stormed the area to prevent the corps from taking the cows away.
The soldiers reportedly made claims that the cows arrested belonged to their officers in the barracks.
The soldiers took away two of the operatives, according to witnesses, after a fisticuff and gunshots.
“As the Amotekun personnel were marching the arrested cows to their office at Alagbaka area of the state, soldiers numbering about ten stormed the area with Hilux vehicle and prevented the arrest of the cows.
“The soldiers insisted that the Amotekun men would not go away with the cows because they belonged to their officers from the military barrack, an eyewitness informed.
The Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeyeye, confirmed the incident.
He described the clash as ”a minor disagreement” between the two groups.
“It has been resolved amicably.
“It was the arrested herders that hid under the soldiers to cause misunderstanding between the security outfits.
“I can confirm to you that the cows have been released to us,” he said, while addressing journalists
But top sources revealed to First News that the cows had been released to their owner, believed to be a top military officer.