Tension gripped Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday as farmers took to the streets to protest the alleged killing of five people by suspected herdsmen at Aba Oyinbo community in Akure North Local Government Area. The fresh killings come barely two weeks after no fewer than 14 people were reportedly murdered by gunmen in four communities in the same local government area.
It was gathered that the assailants invaded the community in the early hours of Wednesday, opening fire on the victims. The protesters, who stormed the Governor’s Office in large numbers, chanted solidarity songs and called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene and halt the unrelenting attacks on farmers.
One of the protesters, identified simply as Jonah, decried the increasing spate of killings, alleging that the attackers infiltrated the state through Edo. “We are being slaughtered without anyone doing anything. Akure North is under siege. We are farmers, not criminals. We are appealing to the governor, the police, the army, and Amotekun to save us before more lives are lost,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, security operatives had been deployed to the protest scene to prevent a breakdown of law and order. The Ondo State Police Command has also confirmed the incident, promising to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Governor Aiyedatiwa has condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and unacceptable.” He promised to take immediate action to address the security concerns of the people and ensure that justice is served.
The conflict between farmers and herdsmen in Ondo State has been ongoing for several years, with both sides accusing each other of violence and encroachment. The state government has established a security outfit, Amotekun, to address the security challenges in the state, but the outfit has been criticized for its handling of the conflict.