Fulani Herdsmen at the Afram Plains in the Eastern region have said they are being brutalised by the security task force charged to bring under control conflicts between nomads and residents of the area.
According to the herdsmen, the joint military and police task force deployed to the area are killing their animals indiscriminately.
120 security Personnel made up of the Military, Police and Immigration were in February this year charged to shoot and kill “stubborn cows” belonging to Fulani herdsmen in the region.
The Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Awuntubuge Awuni gave the directive during the re-launch of 'operation cow leg’ meant to drive out Fulanis who are suspected to be causing mayhem in the region.
But spokesperson of the Fulani herdsmen, Alhaji Amadou has complained that the security agencies are harassing them in the process.
"The joint military and police taskforce were in this area accusing us of destroying farmlands and harming the local people here. They brutalised us and arrested us, even though we have not committed any crime. We have lost lot of cattle which were killed," he told Accra-based Joy FM.
But the Police in the area have insisted that they only killed the animals in self-defence.
The month long operation by the security taskforce will cover areas such as Fanteakwa, Upper Manya Krobo, Kwahu Affram Plains South, Kwahu Affram Plains North, Kwahu East and Dokokrom all in the Eastern region.