Ondo farmers, residents protest killing of five farmers, blame herders
Ondo farmers and residents protest fresh killing of five farmers by bandits suspected to be armed herders in Ondo State.
The farmers were killed in the early hours of Wednesday after the armed herders invaded a farming settlement in ‘Aba Oyinbo’, Akure North Local Council of the state.
This latest killing happened two weeks after over 20 farmers were killed during a midnight invasion of four communities in Ala Elefosan.
The residents of the state, who were angered by the development, stormed the Governor’s Office, lamenting the inability of the government to put a stop to the incessant attacks and killings.
The protesters who shut down the Governor’s Office also barricaded roads in the state, leaving commuters and motorists stranded.
While lamenting over the development, the Regent of Ademekun Community, Adekemisola Adelowo, alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Ala Elefosan was complicit in the attack due to the late response of police operatives from the division during the attacks.
Adelowo, who spoke at the Governor’s Office, demanded the immediate removal of the DPO, and also slammed the Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Gbenga Atiba, for dismissing the killings as fake news.
While addressing the protesters, the Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami said the peaceful atmosphere of the state will not be allowed to be changed under any guise.
He ordered the Amotekun Corps to immediately move to the communities and provide security for the people and their property.
He said: “Ondo State has been the most peaceful state in the country, but they want to change the story for us. They are attacking us in all three senatorial districts of the state.
“The governor held a meeting with security chiefs in the state where he discussed the issues surrounding our security.
“We are going to respond appropriately to ensure the security of life and property of our people.
“We will meet 10 representatives of the communities, which you are going to select among you right now.
“Amotekun Corps posts will be established in the communities today. There will be collaboration among all security agencies.”
Meanwhile, the former Deputy Governor of the State, who was also the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in the state, Agboola Ajayi, has slammed Aiyedatiwa over insecurity in the state.
According to Ajayi, the governor must, as a matter of urgency, revamp the Amotekun Corps and ensure the re-creation of Armed Forest guards that will police the forests and uproot all invading criminal elements so that peace can reign in the state.
