The Oyo State Police Command has dispelled reports circulating on social media about an alleged attack on a farmer by herdsmen at Ilowa-Gbade Village in Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying that the information shared is an exaggeration of the actual incident.
The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, who spoke in a statement on Saturday, said that contrary to the exaggerated reports, preliminary investigations revealed that a dispute over grazing rights led to an altercation between a 20-year-old herder, Salau Isiaka, and a 25-year-old farmer, Akinkunmi Tiamiyu, on Friday.
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He stated that the confrontation, which arose when Isiaka took his cattle to graze on Tiamiyu’s cassava farmland, escalated into a physical confrontation, resulting in a severe head injury to the herder, Isiaka, and significant injuries to the farmer, Tiamiyu, including the severance of two fingers from his left hand.
The PPRO disclosed that both individuals are currently receiving medical intervention at a healthcare facility while a thorough investigation is underway at the command’s Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Osifeso remarked: “In line with our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents in Oyo State, we strongly urge the public to refrain from disseminating unverified and false information that could incite fear and disturb public tranquillity.”
He urged the state residents to report any suspicious activities observed so that the safety and security of communities could be maintained by the police with the help of the people.
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