ANOTHER community in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Omu-Ekiti has been thrown into confusion as a man the locals identified as Ahmed Dele has been found beheaded.
Sources in the community said Dele was a cattle rearer and that the assailants and their motive were yet to be identified.
The Omu incident has followed a brewing dangerous trend in that axis of Ekiti State, which has been under tension following a land dispute between Itaji and Ayede communities, both in the same local government area.
Only on Wednesday, a man yet to be indentified was found beheaded in Orisumbare, a land in dispute between Itaji and Ayede communities, which are not far from Omu.
It was gathered that the Omu victim was allegedly pursued by his assailants while out to graze his cattle and he was killed.
Secretary of Jamunati Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, Mr. Idris Salaudeen, told newsmen in the state the victim was a member of the association, and added that the late Dele was 26 years old.
According to him, he was a Fulani from Kwara State and had been declared missing by his boss, Jimoh Dele, on Monday, February 6, 2017 after he failed to return home with his cattle.
Salaudeen added that the victim’s body was later discovered around 4.30 am in the bush, some two kilometers away from the town.
Salaudeen said the incident had created fear among the people since they are still at a loss over the killing.
He said “there was no reported case of clash between the victim and any farmer in the area.”
The Olomu of Omu, Oba JA Ogundeyi, lamented the incident and described it as “strange and condemnable.”
Oba Odundeyi described the victim as “a peace-loving individual who has not been found wanting in his business “and explained” the community had been thrown into a mourning mood since the news broke out.”
The traditional ruler said: “The deceased is personally known to me in the palace because he was a jovial person. Whenever he was leading his cattle for grazing, he would stop by and play with me. In fact, the whole community is very sad about this. Our community plays host many tribes and ethnic groups and we have been living together peacefully.”
Oba Ogundeyi however appealed for calm, and said that the palace, in collaboration with other stakeholders had taken steps with a view to unearth the mystery behind the incident.
The Public Relations Officer of the state’s Police Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, could not be reached for comments on the incident.
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