Nigeria Police has begun the investigation of Iskilu Wakili, a man alleged by residents of Ibarapa in Oyo State to be responsible for a series of kidnappings and killings.
“The Oyo State Police Command would like to inform the general public that sequel to the arrest of Iskilu Wakili and two (2) other persons and subsequent transfer to State Criminal Investigation Department, (CID), Iyaganku Ibadan, discreet investigation on the suspects has commenced,” Oyo police spokesman said Fadeyi Olugbenga.
Olugbenga disclosed that “members of the public who have corroborating evidence against them to appear, this will go a long way in ensuring that watertight evidence is established for the purpose of diligent prosecution.”
Wakili, who is said to be the leader of the herdsmen in the Ayete area of Ibarapa, has also allegedly fired gunshots at farmers who trespassed the ‘no cross-zone.’
Farmers in the zone have accused him of forcefully invading their farms with cattle. And it was gathered that Wakili works with dozens of herdsmen who are his disciples, allegedly seizing hectares of farmland at Ayete and other parts of Ibarapa land.
Speaking with The Guardian, the Baale Odomofin, Chief Saubana Oyewole, the traditional ruler in control of Gbangbangere, Konko, Dagbere, Kajola, Magbeje, and other hamlets in Ayete under the terror reign of Wakili, said the deadly herder shot emissaries sent to serve him a quit notice.
“We served Wakili a quit notice to leave our land, but he opened fire on the men sent to deliver the quit notice. It was bloody and many persons were injured in the process.
“No farmer in Ayete can harvest any crop again but Wakili does all the harvests. He technically displaced all the farmers from their farms by sending his cattle to eat all crops. He does this forcefully with his herders who invade the farms with weapons. The farmers have nothing to show for their efforts but Wakili’s farm produces bountiful harvests and people now buy his produce,” he said.
