Four local hunters were reportedly ambushed and killed by suspected herdsmen in the Faje community in the Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday evening.
Tribune Online‘s investigation gathered that there were five local hunters, otherwise called community vigilance members, on two motorcycles, that were attacked by their assailants at about 7:00 pm at a bushy path a few metres away to the village.
It was gathered that three of the five hunters were gunned down and killed by the suspected herdsmen, while two others ran back to the village to inform members of the community of the incident.
However, before people in the village could arrive at the scene of the attack, the suspected herdsmen had reportedly bolted away with one of the hunters’ two motorcycles, abandoning the one they took to the area.
Two of the deceased were said to be of the same parents, as the information gathered also had it that another person hit by the attackers’ bullet on Tuesday night died Wednesday morning.
“About five victims of the attack were coming from Ilorin to Faje village on two motorcycles on Wednesday night. Before the people could get to the village, herdsmen attacked them at about 7:00 pm. The names of the deceased are Muri, Laide and Segun. Two of the victims are of the same parents.
“One of the motorcycles used by the attackers was recovered by the members of the vigilance team and had been deposited at the Otte Divisional Police station,” a source in the community revealed.
In another incident in the Ballah community in the same Asa Local Government Area, a tomato farmer identified as Akeem Adeboyinbo was reportedly attacked in his farm on Tuesday morning and macheted severally.
The farmer is said to be currently battling with life at a private hospital in the Otte community.
Another member of the community also said that it was the suspected herdsmen that abducted one of the hunters in the community.
The source said that the abducted villager raised the alarm by using his phone to call his colleagues to relate to them what had happened, including the location of the attackers.
“Then five of the hunters mobilised in two motorcycles to the place. But as they approached the vicinity, the Fulanis immediately opened fire on them killing three instantly on the spot who were on the first motorcycle. The deceased names are Muri, Segun and Laide. The other two on the other motorcycles sustained bullets wounds and one of them has been taken to the hospital for treatment while the other who was initially taken to a trado-medical home to remove the bullet later died this morning. The incident happened around 7 pm Tuesday night and was preceded by sporadic shooting.
“Their corpses have since been retrieved from the police in Otte on Tuesday and buried according to Islamic rites today,” the source said.
When contacted on the development, the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Okasanmi Ajayi, confirmed the incident, saying that the command had commenced investigation into the matter.
He also said that efforts were in top gear to bring the perpetrators to book.
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