Ondo community mourns as suspected herders kill farmer

Tamarauemi Ebimini

The Uba Oka community in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State was on Sunday thrown into mourning with the death of a 36-year-old farmer, Sunday Ayeni.

The late Mr Ayeni was allegedly killed at his farm by men suspected to be herdsmen.

A resident told journalists that the deceased had his farm destroyed by the herdsmen last week, which sparked a conflict between him and the herders.

He said that although security agents and community elders intervened to restore peace, all was not well afterwards.

The source said the herdsmen were made to pay for the damage to the deceased’s farm.

The source further said the herdsmen had returned to the farm after the settlement to do further damage.

“The deceased went to his farm with his dog as usual yesterday, but when he didn’t return on time, a search party was organised,” the source said.

The lifeless body of the deceased was reportedly found in his pool of blood, with his dog and cutlass beside him.

A farmer and community leader, Pius Imoru, said the whole community had been thrown into mourning, adding that farmers in Uba Oka, Akoko, are now scared of going to their farms due to the threat of herdsmen attacks.

A non-governmental organisation in Akoko, the Akoko Security, Peace and Development Council, under the leadership of Dayo Olukoju, condemned the act and called on communities to be security-conscious.

The police are yet to react to the development.

Only last week, residents of Iyani Akoko, in Akoko Northwest local government area of Ondo State, mourned the killing of two commercial motorcycle riders by hoodlums.

The police said they were investigating the crime.