BREAKING NEWS

Herdsmen strike in Ondo, set four communities ablaze, injuries recorded

By Tunde Olorungbotemi


Suspected Fulani herdsmen set four Ondo state communities ablazed amid COVID-19 pandemic, Voice Air Media has gathered.


Majority of farmers including their wives in the four communities were seriously injured when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded and set four communities in lgbatoro/Ala/Imafon communities in Ondo North, Ondo state ablaze over disagreement on grazing and destruction of their farmlands.


The state police commissioner Undia Adie had swiftly deployed detectives to the troubled communities to maintain peace.


Also, officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been keeping vigil in the communities after the attack.


(file photo: Sunshinetruth)


According to report, residents of the communities destroyed which Adejubu, Adewole, Olotin, Olondan, Jojo have relocated to other neighbouring communities following the attack by the herdsmen.


The attack took place last night when the farmers were fast asleep.


The insistence of the farmers not to allow consistent destruction of their farmland by the herders reportedly led to confrontations on several occasions.


Reporter learnt that the farmers at their meeting over the destruction of their farms agreed to send representatives to warn the herdsmen from further destruction of their farms.



The herdsmen reportedly mobilised to attacked the Ondo communities that same night after the farmers representative conveyed their displeasure to them


It was gathered that the farmers had yesterday gone to the herders to warn them against using their cows to destroy farms in the areas but the herdsmen were alleged to have mobilised to carry out the attack in the night.


One of the farmers Mayowa Adedeji said that the farmers have been having issues with the herdsmen over grazing in their farm thereby destroying their crops.


He said that hundreds of the affected farmers and their family members have been rendered homeless.


“We escaped by whiskers, many of us were woken up by the smoke coming from the burnt houses. We all escaped miraculously from being killed by the well-armed herders but we sustained seriously injuries while running from the fire.


While reaching out to the spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,
Ayodeji Olufemi said that the villagers have deserted the communities following the crisis.


Olufemi said that officials of the NSCDC are keeping vigil over the troubled communities.


As at time of filing this report, the state police Spokesperson, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro said he was yet to be briefed by the DPO in the affected area.


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