The Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA) has impounded 20 cows during two separate enforcement operations in Ibadan as part of efforts to enforce the state’s regulations on open grazing and livestock rearing.

The operations, according to the authority, followed complaints involving cattle allegedly grazing on farmland and being reared within residential areas.

The first operation was reportedly conducted in the early hours of Wednesday, September 30, at Batake Village along the Ibadan-Eruwa Road. OYRLEA said the action followed a petition from Adewolu Farms over alleged repeated invasion of its farmland by cattle.

The farm reportedly grows crops including cassava, maize, yam and cashew.

According to the authority, its enforcement personnel, working alongside security operatives, moved into the area after receiving the complaint. The herders allegedly attempted to move the cattle away when they noticed the enforcement team, but nine cows were eventually impounded.

A second operation was carried out the following morning at Idi-Iroko, Moniya, in Ibadan, where another 11 cows were reportedly seized.

OYRLEA said the second operation was prompted by alleged residential cattle rearing and open grazing in the area, bringing the number of cattle impounded during the two operations to 20.

The enforcement activities form part of Oyo State’s continuing implementation of its livestock and open-grazing regulations. The state has previously carried out similar operations in different parts of Ibadan, including an August operation in which two cows found grazing openly on a road were impounded.

In September, OYRLEA also reported impounding 10 cattle in Apete, Ibadan, after residents complained about cattle being reared within a densely populated neighbourhood and engaging in open grazing. The authority said its officers found the complaints to be substantiated and acted under the state’s 2019 Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law.

The enforcement of the law has remained a subject of discussion in Oyo State. In June 2026, the state House of Assembly called for reforms to strengthen the implementation of the Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation Law, following a review that considered its effectiveness, enforcement challenges and impact on farmers, herders and communities.

OYRLEA Chairperson, retired Justice Aderonke Aderemi, has maintained that the authority’s enforcement activities are intended to ensure compliance with existing laws and protect residents and farmers.

The authority has also urged residents and farmers to report suspected violations through appropriate channels, saying legitimate complaints would be investigated in accordance with the law.

The latest operations underline the continued enforcement of Oyo State’s restrictions on open grazing and livestock rearing in prohibited areas, while complaints involving farmland and residential communities remain an important part of the authority’s enforcement activities.