Suspected herdsmen have reportedly murdered at least five farmers at Ajegunle-Powerline community in Akure North council area of Ondo State.
The state police spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the attack of the farmers by suspected herdsmen.
Vanguard gathered that the victims, who were labourers , came to the state from Plateau and Kaduna States.
An eyewitness, Akin Olowolafe, said “the incident happened around 3pm and the Fulani herdsmen killed five of our labourers.
“This is how the herdsmen usually come to disturb and destroy our crops and we have reported them to the state government and even to the security agencies.
” No positive action has been taken by the security agencies to curtail their activities on our farmlands.
“These Fulani herdsmen just entered the farmlands as we are working and they started shooting sporadically in the air and killed five farmers during the attack.”
Olowolafe, said that their attacks, robberies have made life unbearable for them and affected their productivity.
He lamented the lack of intervention of security agencies in the state.
The farmer said that many farmers in the community have fled their farms for fear of being killed.
According to him “the incessant clashes and destruction of farm crops is worrisome and it has led to the boycott of farms by farmers in the area.
The confrontational attitude of the herdsmen, he said has also constituted a threat to their lives as they usually kill or rape their female children met at the farms.
Olowolafe, however, called on the State governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the security agencies to intervene and save them from constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Another farmer, Fidelis Daniel, said
“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.”
Daniel, called on the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, the Commander of the State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), Adetunji Adeleye and others relevant security agencies to take proactive security measures that will put an end to the continuous attacks.
He lamented that the situation “is negatively affecting the morale of the farmers.
Our correspondent, who was at the State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure Complex could see how the men of the Hunters and Vigilantes
Meanwhile , the corpses of the farmers have been deposited at the mortuary.
The police spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the attack but was not categorical about the number of those killed by the suspected herdsmen.
