Yoruba nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Monday raised the alarm over alleged killing of three farmers during a fresh attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Igboho, his native town, located in Orelope Local Government Area, in Oke Ogun axis of Oyo State.
Igboho, who said the victims include Aderoju Mukaila, Olawuwo Saka, and Ojeniyi Ojebayo, disclosed that they were allegedly attacked with axes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons by the herders after condemning the destruction of their farms by cattle during grazing activities.
Though the victims were rushed to an hospital after the attack they later succumbed to their injuries after medical personnel battled to save their lives.
In a statement forwarded to journalists, Igboho called on President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to do the needful in addressing growing insecurity in rural communities in Oyo State and other parts of the South West in order to avert avoidable skirmishes and chaos.
According to the statement, “On Sunday, three innocent people were killed in my town, Igboho. This is exactly what I have been warning the government about for years. Nothing has changed, and our people continue to suffer attacks while those responsible roam freely.
“Government and relevant stakeholders in security sector should do more to adequately protect lives and property in Oke-Ogun axis because insecurity has become a daily reality for residents of Igboho and surrounding communities.”
The statement reads further, “I have been expressing concern before this fresh attack over the inimical activities of rogue Fulani herders, bandits and hoodlums, who have infiltrated rural settlements and forests in the South West, part of Kwara and Kogi states.”
While calling for more efforts to tackle insecurity, Igboho emphasised that “it is more incumbent now for the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to deploy effective measures aimed at addressing insecurity, most especially the deadly activities of criminals wrecking havoc in our communities.
“Victims of killings occasioned by violence and attacks and their relatives are now in a state of despair because their patience and tolerance have reached its elastic limit. The Federal Government and relevant security agencies should not hesitate to take decisive actions until residents and locals resolve to take laws into their hands in order to defend themselves.
“Hoodlums and other non state actors perpetrating attacks and killings of helpless farmers, local residents in South West communities should be promptly arrested to the face full wrath of law for their heinous crimes.
“Actionable intelligence should also be explored by security agencies in order to nip in the bud attacks, violence and criminalities with a views, “the statement concluded.