The Arimogija community in the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State has been deserted by residents of the area following the incessant attacks by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
No fewer than three farmers had been killed in the area in the last few weeks by the suspected herdsmen, while the security operatives had failed to check activities of the criminals.
A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the people of the community noticed a helicopter which came to a forest in the area.
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He said the matter was reported at the police station but no action was taken by the security agencies on the matter.
He, however, said the entire community had been living in fear, while some residents had begun to relocate from the community following the Fulani herdsmen’s attack.
He said: “The Fulani herdsmen have killed three people in this community in just one week. They killed a rice farmer, Jacob Odushe and his son, Adura, this week.
“They killed another boy, Victor Ejeh. The boy’s corpse was found in the bush after a week that he was declared missing. The cuts on his body showed that he was killed by the bandits.
“We want to appeal to the state government to come to our aids, we need presence of security agencies in this community and we don’t want to take laws into our hands.”
Confirming the killings in the community, the Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said the state governor had sent some security agents to the community to maintain law and order.
He said: “I have been there with some people, the people were so bitter about the man and his son that were killed. As they saw us, they started protesting but I was able to calm them down.
“They were apprehensive of the fact that they said they saw a particular helicopter that came to the bush and they were suspecting that the helicopter brought some Fulani to the place to come and attack them probably at night.
“But the governor has sent some solders there. As I am talking to you soldiers were patroling the community.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, did not comment on the matter as he said he was at a meeting at the time the call was put across to him and he also did not respond to the text message sent to him.
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