From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
There was tension yesterday in Ondo State as gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have attacked Ajegunle-Powerline community in Akure North Local Government Area( LGA)killing five farmers.
Daily Sun gathered that the victims were labourers in the community, who came from Plateau and Kaduna states.
Narrating how the incident happened, one of the farmers,Akin Olowolafe, said,”the incident happened during the day when Fulani herdsmen invaded the town and attacked our people.
“This is how they always come to disturb us and destroy our crops. We have reported the activities of the headsmen to the state government and even to security agencies, but no positive action was taken by the security agencies to stop Fulani herdsmen activities on our farmlands.
“These Fulani herdsmen just entered the farmlands as we were working and started shooting sporadically into the air and eventually killed five people during the attack.
“The attacks and armed robbery activities which occur on daily basis around the area have made life unbearable for us. Our attackers are having field day because of the unchecked, intensified attacks and lack of intervention from appropriate government authorities in the state.”
He said that many farmers in the community have fled their farm lands for fear of being killed, saying that the incessant clashes and destruction of farm crops are so worrisome and it has led to boycotting of farms by farmers in the area.
Olowolafe posited that the community which rely on crops they produce for survival are being threatened by daily destruction of such crops by cattle that usually invade their farmlands.
He called on the state government under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and security agencies to intervene and save them from constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO)Funmilayo Odunlami ,who confirmed the incident, said,”there was an attack on the community and the police are still investigating the attack. But I cannot confirm the number of people that were killed.”