Farmers, Suspected Herdsmen Clash In Ogun Leaving 4 Dead

A clash between farmers and suspected herdsmen in Iwoye area of Imeko-Afon local government area of Ogun state has left four people dead and some police officers injured.

Channels Television reports that some police officers also sustained injury in the incident that has now been brought under control.

The report said the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in charge of Imeko and a police inspector were shot in one of the attacks.

It was learnt that trouble started when suspected Fulani herdsmen led their cattle to drink from the community stream and polluted the water while a resident who tried to challenge them was shot dead.

The community then engaged in a reprisal while an attempt by the police to arrest the perpetrators failed as the suspected herdsmen, who reportedly laid ambush, opened fire on the law enforcement agents.

This led to the killing of a civilian, Kabiru Ogunrinde, who accompanied the policemen.

The report said the commissioner of police in the state, Bashir Makama, visited the town for on-the-spot assessment and spoke with stakeholders on the need to ensure peaceful coexistence among the different tribes.

The public relations officer of the police in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident but said only one death had been identified by the police.

Oyeyemi blamed the incident on migrant herdsmen from neighbouring countries saying they invaded the community and subsequently escaped after wreaking havoc.

According to Oyeyemi, no arrest had been made and that the injured policemen were recuperating in the hospital.

“The CP was there today with the police management team and we have stationed our men in the town, including men from PMF, SARS, anti-kidnapping and other tactical squads.

“The CP has addressed all the stakeholders, including the Fulani community and natives of Iwoye community and their Kabiyesis (traditional rulers). He has warned them to live in peace and whoever foments trouble will have himself to blame.

"We know of one casualty now, we even saw the corpse. Though we heard rumour that from the other side of the stream which is in the Benin Republic, some people were actually attacked there,” he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Ekiti government recently employed marshals to enforce the Anti-Grazing Law 2016 and prevent farmers-herders clashes across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Speaking at the inauguration of the officers on Monday, April 8, the marshal coordinator, Sola Durodola, urged them to perform their assignment with utmost sense of responsibility.