Deputy Minister of Defence, Major Derrick Oduro has justified the sporadic shooting by members of the ‘Operation Cow Leg’, killing more than 1500 cattle at Agogo, a suburban in the Ashanti Region.
According to Major Oduro, the Operation Cow Leg task force had to shoot the cattle in self-defence as the Fulani herdsmen were charging them to attack the security personnel deployed to restore calm.
Speaking exclusively to GhanaWeb at the 2018 IMANIFESTO held at Tang Palace in Accra, the Minister further revealed that, Fulani herdsmen were raping and killing women at Agogo, adding that the combined police-military task force did their best to ensure the safety of Agogo residents.
“Fulani men communicated with their cows to attack the security men dispatched to ensure peace and security. A solder must defend himself first before defending civilians. The situation is that they are raping the women of Agogo and killing the farmers so the soldiers had to protect them. It’s important for the soldier to shoot cattle in self-defence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Fulani Community in Ghana has called for compensation for some of their compatriots who they claim have lost more than 1,500 cattle.
The group has estimated the cattle which were caught in the line of fire since December last year to be about GH¢6 million.
Sheikh Osuman Bari who made the claim on behalf of the group called on President Akufo-Addo to halt, with immediate effect what he described as ongoing hostilities against the Fulanis in the country.
Deputy Minister of Defence, Major Derrick Oduro