Death of cows: Community cries out over looming epidemics

Following the mysterious death of 36 cows on the sacred hill of Ijare community in the Ifedore Located Government Area of Ondo State, the people and residents of the community have raised alarm over the looming epidemics in the town.

Appealing to the state government for timely intervention to prevent an impending epidemics, the Sapetu of Ijare Kingdom and the second in command to the Olujare, Chief Wemimo Olaniran, expressed fear over the looming epidemics.

Olaniran who appealed to the state government to instruct the Ministries of Agriculture and Health to take action in the interest of the health of the people of the community before the spread of the epidemics arising from the death of the cows.

The appeal of the community came just as elders and traditionalists are planning to perform rituals to appease the gods over the mysterious death of the animals and desecration of the sacred hill.

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The traditionalists maintained that traditional rites must be performed at the scene of the incident and on the cows which had started decomposing, saying nobody could touch either human being or animal killed by a thunderbolt and stated that the ritual rites should commence three days after the incident,

Meanwhile, the incident continued to attract diverse attention from people and stakeholders to the town and scene of the disaster.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Bamidele Oloyelogun who is from the local government led some members of the House Committee on Agriculture to the community over the incident.

Oleyelogun and his entourage also climbed the hill to access the situation and promised that chemicals would be applied to prevent epidemic at Ijare.

Meanwhile, both the Ministries of Agriculture and Health were yet to act on the matter as at the time of filing this report.

Also, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah cattle breeders, Alhaji Kayode Ibrahim, described the incident as an act of God, and prayed to God to grant the herdsmen faith to bear the loss.

About 36 cows were said to have been struck to death by lightning on Saturday night during a rainfall accompanied with heavy thunder in the agrarian community of Ijare.