Five killed as suspected herdsmen attack Ondo community

Some 72 hours after the attack on the Molege community in the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, where three people were killed and buildings set ablaze, some herdsmen on Monday afternoon also attacked the neighbouring Arimogija community, killing five people while several others were left injured.

It was gathered that the armed herdsmen attacked some men on their farm, killing two of the farmers while some others who escaped with injuries informed the people of the community.

The youths and the vigilante group in the community mobilised themselves to the farm but the herdsmen who had laid siege for them attacked them, killing three men including the community youth leader, Lucky Augustine, injuring many others.

The armed men immediately ran away from the community into the bush while the residents alerted men of the state security outfit, Amotekun who trail the hoodlums into the forest.

Recounting the incident, the youth Secretary of Arimogija, Mr Nweke Izuchukwu Jude, explained the five youths were killed in two different attacks by the herdsmen.

He said: “they attacked the first set of people on the farm and killed two of them. it was those injured in the first attack that called other villagers for help.

But while those who went to rescue them were trying to take the injured back home for treatment. they (the armed herders) appeared again and killed three more people.

“The armed men are still in our bushes and farmlands, we can no longer go to our farms. They know all the topography of the forest more than us, all we need is the support of security men to chase them away and arrest as many as possible”

He, however, said the perpetrators carried out the attack because of the absence of the security men on the ground in the community, saying all the Policemen, except one, who came to the community left with the governor on Sunday evening, and that the only one left could not enter the forest.

He appeals to the governor for better reinforcement of security men, so as to secure the lives of the villagers against another attack.

Confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Funmilayo Odunlami, said the details of the attack are still sketchy.

But the Commander of Ondo Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeyeye, said his men stationed at Molege were informed about the attack and rushed to the area.

He said his men had been deployed to the area, combing the forest in order to arrest the perpetrators, but declined to give any further details about casualties.

It will be recalled that some herdsmen last Friday invaded the Molege community in the same local council area, killing three people and setting buildings and property on fire.

The state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu visited the area on Sunday to assess the level of destruction in the area, with a promise to bring those behind the attack to book.

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