No fewer than five people have been killed by suspected herdsmen in the Ajegunle-Powerline community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State during the renewed attack on the community.
LEADERSHIP learnt that those who were killed in the attack were said to be labourers who came to the community to work.
One of the farmers in the area, Akin Olowolafe, confirmed the incident to LEADERSHIP.
Olowolafe disclosed, “The incident happened around 3 pm on Tuesday, and these Fulani herdsmen killed five of our labourers. This is how they (herdsmen) usually come to disturb and destroy our crops, and we have reported them to the state government and even to the security agencies. Still, no positive actions were taken by these security agencies to stop the Fulani herdsmen’s activities on our farmlands.
He further stated, “These Fulani herdsmen just entered the farmlands on Tuesday as we were working, and they started shooting sporadically in the air and killed five people during the attacks.”
While saying that attacks and armed robbery, which occur daily in the area, have made life unbearable for them, Olowolafe urged authorities to intervene as quickly as possible.
According to him, many farmers in the community have fled their farms for fear of being killed, adding that the incessant clashes and destruction of farm crops are so worrisome and have led to boycotting of farms by farmers in the area.
Olowolafe said the confrontational attitude of the herdsmen also constituted a threat to their lives as, most often, they (herdsmen) usually killed or raped any female they met at the farms.
He, however, called on the state government under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the security agencies to intervene and save them from constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Corroborating him, a labourer, Fidelis Daniel, said, “They came around 3pm on Tuesday to destroy our farms, and we have warned them not to come to our farmlands again, but they didn’t hear, and when they came, they just started shooting and killed five of our people that we just brought to the mortuary now.
“I was inside the farm, too, when the incident happened. I just heard the sound of guns, and I immediately ran to the house. It was even God that saved me, too; they would have killed me.
“They suddenly came with weapons to destroy our crops and killed five people.”
The remains of those killed have been deposited into the morgue of the State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure.
Confirming the attack, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said the police could not verify the numbers of those killed in the attack.
The PPRO said, “There was an attack on the community, and police are still investigating. But I cannot confirm the number of people that were killed.”
