Suspected Ritualists Behead Herdsman in Ekiti
A cattle rearer, Ahmed Dele, has been beheaded by yet-to-be identified persons suspected to be ritualists in Omu, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
It was learnt that the victim, 26, was pursued by his assailants while grazing his cattle before they caught up with him few kilometres away from the town, where he was killed and his head removed.
Confirming the incident, the Secretary of Jamunati Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State, Idris Salaudeen, said the victim was a Fulani from Kwara State and had earlier been declared missing by his boss, Jimoh Dele, on Monday, after he failed to return home with his cattle.
He added that the victim’s body was later discovered around 4.30am in the bush, some two kilometres away from the town.
Salaudeen said that with this ugly incident, many cattle rearers were now afraid of going about their business as they didn’t know the motive behind the gruesome murder of their member.
He said Ahmed’s murder was more worrisome as there was no reported case of any earlier clash between him and any farmer in the area.
In the meantime, he called on the Federal Government and security agencies to save the Fulani community from the “unprovoked and unwarranted attack” by unmasking Ahmed’s killers and bringing them to justice.
The traditional ruler of the community, the Olomu of Omu, Oba J.A Ogundeyi, while appealing for peace, said the palace, in collaboration with other stakeholders, had already swung into action in order to unearth the mystery behind the incident.
