Residents of Igangan in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State said some armed Fulani herdsmen on Friday attacked four farmers on their way back home.
The residents said two of the victims allegedly hacked by the herdsmen died. They said the attackers ripped the skull of one of the victims identified as Seun with machetes.
Our correspondent gathered that the attack allegedly happened after a popular figure, Sunday Igboho, had gone to Igangan earlier on Friday to warn the Seriki Fulani, Saliu Kadri, who he accused of being behind the atrocities committed in the area.
Prominent indigenes of the town have been killed by suspected herdsmen while kidnapping has become almost a daily occurrence in the area.
Igboho was said to have gone to the settlement of the Seriki and confronted him there. It was gathered that he accused the Fulani leader of being responsible for the crisis in the area and this was said to have led to a serious altercation.
A source in the community told our correspondent that the altercation was so serious.
The resident said after the Igboho left, some of the Seriki boys trooped out and attacked Yoruba farmers returning from their farms and inflicted injuries on them leading to the death of two.
The Convener of Igangan Development Advocates, Oladiran Oladokun, when contacted told our correspondent that Igboho went round to flush out kidnappers and robbers.
He said, “Sunday Igboho came to Igangan today and went to Kara Market because that is where they perpetrate some of their atrocities.
Ibarapa people have all agreed that Kara markets should be closed so that crime would reduce.
“He also went to the Seriki’s settlement to confront him. After he left, Seriki’s boys trooped out and hacked four persons returning from the farm. Two have died.”
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, said Igboho went to the Fulani camp in the town and injured four persons.
The PPPRO said, “Today (Friday) at about 6 pm, the popular Sunday Igboho from Igboho town stormed Fulani camp at Igangan in four Hilux pickup vans and attacked the people while injuring four persons.
“He further warned them to vacate the camp in seven days or be forcefully evicted. The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.
A police patrol vehicle has been deployed to the area while effort is on the trail of the attackers. The investigation has commenced into the matter.”
Efforts to speak with Igboho were not successful as calls to his telephone were not answered.
Calls placed across to Seriki’s numbers as well as his son, Umoru Saliu indicated that the phones had been switched off.
Source: Punch Newspaper
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