Herdsmen attack Ekiti community, kill 2

By Gbenga sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

Iyemero Ekiti, in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti state was in the early hours of Monday invaded by suspected herders who killed two members of the community leaving three others injured.

At least, no fewer than three other persons were macheted during the attack with many displaced from their residences by these assailants, who were said to have invaded the farmstead at midnight.

The gory incident occurred at a farmstead called Eda, one of the communities under Iyemero Town.

Sources identified one of the dead as Danjuma Ali, a Muslim farmer while the identity of the second person, whose bodies have been deposited in the morgue of the General hospital, Ikole Ekiti is still sketchy as at the time of filing this report.

Those undergoing treatment at the emergency section of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, include Mrs. Jennifer Akoko, Mr. Joseph Achebe and one other victim.

The sources said: “It has happened again today; it has been a recurrent killing. Some herders called Bororo stormed the farmstead and shot these innocent people. 

“They came around 1am and were there till dawn. Our farmers are all afraid to go to their farmsteads. They all rushed to the palace of Oba Ebenezer Agboola Ogungbemi, the Olu of Iyemero Ekiti to take refuge.

“We are mourning today at Iyemero, we are not happy about this incident and the government must do something about it,” the sources said.

Responding to the attack, Oba Ebenezer Agboola Ogungbemi, the Olu of Iyemero restated his calls for the establishment of a police station in the town to curb the killings.

The monarch, who spoke through the palace spokesman, Chief Ariyo Abejide, said there was the urgent need for government to protect farmers from attacks by the marauding herdsmen.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Caleb Ikechukwu, said he has not been briefed about the attack.