Herders kill one, injure 8 in Ondo community
A fifty-year-old farmer, Olaoluwa Olorunfemi, was on Sunday night killed in a fresh attack on Ago-Oyinbo at Ala Forest Reserve in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State after an invasion by people suspected to be herdsmen.
Also, eight other persons in the community were wounded in the violent attack.
Daily Trust gathered that the herders wreaked havoc on the people, who are mostly farmers, in the middle of the night without any challenge.
The spokesman for the community, Samuel Olowolafe, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the state capital, on Monday, said the heavily armed herders also looted the property of the victims.
He explained that the situation forced many residents to flee their homes for fear of being caught in another attack.
He added that the herdsmen resorted to sacking the community after their entreaty to be allowed into the community with their cattle to graze was turned down by the youth and elders of the area.
“They do perpetuate their devil act at midnight, cart away our foods, destroy our farm products and even machete people to the extent that they will land in the hospital.”
Olowolafe said it was the second time the herders launched an attack on the agrarian community.
He revealed that the assailants had earlier attacked the community in March, adding that many of the residents had lost loved ones and property worth millions.
Olowolafe asked Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to urgently come to the aid of the community over the fresh attacks on the residents.
“So, what happened to us at the weekend was that these Fulani herdsmen wanted to take over our farmland.
“We are calling on the state government and the security agencies to please come to our aid. Our life is in danger at Powerline and Ago-Oyinbo at Ala Forest Reserve,” he added.
Confirming the incident in a statement Monday night, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo state, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said Olorunfemi was killed by the armed men numbering about four.
Odunlami-Omisanya, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, stated that the deceased was hacked to death with a cutlass.
She added that the police had already begun their investigation and launched a manhunt for the invaders.
She said the suspects also went away with the mobile phone of the deceased.
“So, the police and family members of the deceased have visited the scene of the incident and his corpse has been evacuated from the scene,” the PPRO added.
