Sam Philip
No fewer than 5 farmers have been shot dead by Fulani herdsmen who attacked Ajegunle-Powerline community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The casual were from Plateau and Kaduna states working as labourers in the community.
Narrating the incident, one of the farmers in the community, Akin Olowolafe, explained that “the incident happened around 3pm on Tuesday and these Fulani herdsmen killed 5 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 but no positive actions taken from these security agencies to stop the Fulani herdsmen activities on our farmlands.
“These Fulani herdsmen just entered the farmlands on Tuesday as we were working and they started shooting sporadically and killed 5 people during the attacks.”
According to Olowolafe further disclosed that are frequent attacks on the commy by armed robbers, which had forced many farmers to abandon the farms.
He, therefore, called on the State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and all security agencies in the state to intervene and save them from constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Moreover, Fidelis Daniel, a labourer in the community explained that “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 5 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. Three people from Plateau State and two from Kaduna State.”
The bodies of the casualties were deposited at the morgue of University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure Complex by men of the Hunters and Vigilantes Association in Akure North Local Government Area.
Confirming the incident, the Spokesperson for the state Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said: “There was an attack on the community, and police is still investigating. But I cannot confirm the number of people that were killed.”