NINE herders, with over 100 cattle, were arrested, weekend, by operatives of the Ondo State Security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, for violating the state government’s open grazing law.

The herders and their cattle were arrested along the Akure/Ilesa road in the state.

Similarly, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, yesterday, warned illegal occupants of the state forest reserves, saying he owed no one any apology on his quit order to criminally minded herders.

Speaking with newsmen, the State Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the cows were intercepted and arrested at the boundary of Osun and Ondo States

The state government has banned open grazing across the state.

Adeleye said: “Our men controlled the cows to the headquarters of our office, which was about 30 kilometres from the point they were intercepted.

“I don’t want to narrow it on the issue of capturing cattle. I would want to say it is a way of reducing crime. The cows were blocking the major road leading to the state capital.

“Apart from the possibility of illegal grazing in most cases, it is the ploy that kidnappers use.

“One of the occupants in the vehicle that was blocked called our distress line; and within few minutes, our men were on the ground.

“We should take note that our men are in all the 18 local government areas and we are on 24 hours patrol and we arrived at the scene promptly.

“The culprits, who sighted us on arrival, ran away as they controlled the cows to follow them, but we were only able to control them