Suspected Herdsmen Kill 5 Farm Workers in Ondo

Five people have been killed by suspected herdsmen in Ajegunle-Powerline, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, during a fresh attack on the community. The victims were laborers working on the farms when the attack occurred on Tuesday at around 3pm.

A farmer in the area, Akin Olowolafe, confirmed the tragic incident, revealing that the herdsmen entered the farmlands and began shooting sporadically into the air, killing five people. Olowolafe expressed frustration, explaining that this type of attack has been a recurring problem, with the herdsmen regularly disturbing and destroying crops. Despite reports to both the state government and security agencies, Olowolafe said no significant action has been taken to curb the violence.

“This is how they (herdsmen) usually come to disturb and destroy our crops. We have reported them to the state government and even to the security agencies, but no positive actions were taken,” he stated.

Olowolafe further described the general insecurity in the region, including daily armed robbery and the threat of herdsmen attacks, which have made life unbearable for local farmers. Many farmers, he noted, have been forced to flee the area out of fear for their lives.

The frequent clashes, crop destruction, and violent acts, such as killings and rapes, have led to a widespread boycott of farming in the region, according to Olowolafe. He called on the Ondo State government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and security agencies to take swift action to protect the farmers and their livelihoods.

Another witness, Fidelis Daniel, a laborer on the farm, described how the herdsmen arrived at the community around 3pm on Tuesday, shooting indiscriminately and killing five people. Daniel narrowly escaped, running to safety when he heard the gunshots. He lamented that the herdsmen had ignored previous warnings not to come to the farmlands.

The bodies of the victims have been taken to the morgue at the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Akure.

The police, while confirming the attack, could not yet verify the number of casualties. Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, stated that investigations were ongoing but refrained from confirming the death toll.