Suspected Fulani herders kill two farmers in Ekiti

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed two farmers in Isaba Ekiti, Ikole local government area of Ekiti State. The sad incident occurred on Friday evening when the farmers were said to have had a confrontation with the herders, which escalated to the bloodshed.

A resident of the town confirmed that one of the victims was popularly known as Jisoro, while the other was a security guard with a construction company. The assailants were said to have fled after killing the victims. Speaking further on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, said the crisis between the farmers and herders led to the death of the two persons.

Abutu stated that it was a confrontation between the farmers and people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, called Bororo, who have allegedly been terrorising the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of the council area. Abutu added that the deceased corpses have been recovered and deposited in the morgue at Ikole General Hospital.

He said: “There was a crisis between some farmers and Bororo herders. In the process, there were casualties. The police were contacted and operatives have been deployed to that axis to maintain peace.

“Meanwhile, the investigation has already commenced to unravel the reason for the crisis and to ensure that culprits are brought to book. The victims’ corpses had already been deposited in the morgue.”

The Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ekiti State, Brig Gen. Joe Komolafe, said the victims were declared missing on Friday, having gone to the farm and failed to return home, which fueled speculation that something terrible must have happened to them.

Akomolafe said the incident was reported to the police and Amotekun, who assembled their operatives and went to their farm, where the victims were found dead. Upon inquiry, we learnt that the victims fought with the Bororo herders for coming to harvest bee honey in their farms on Wednesday, which led to an exchange of fisticuffs. In a reprisal attack, the Bororo herders were said to have returned to the farm on Friday and shot the two men dead.”