How Fulani Herdsmen Kill, Rape Ogun Residents

 

Farmers and residents of agrarian communities in some local government areas of Ogun State have some gory tales to tell on the menace of Fulani cattle rearers, otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen. So many lives have been lost while property worth millions of Naira has been destroyed allegedly by these Fulani marauders .

It was gathered that, the Fulani herdsmen move with their cattle from one of these agrarian communities to the other wreaking havoc. Further findings have also shown that worse still, they do not respect the borders of the state. They did not only seek pasture they inflict deaths and mayhem.

Records have shown that, not quiet long ago, the border town of Oja-Odan in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State was invaded by some Fulani herdsmen who killed a farmer and injured dozens of others.

The farmer, identified as Agbaose Sewotan, was killed because he complained against the invasion of his farm.

It was learnt that his elder brother, Mr. Oluwole Sewontan,while narrating their ordeal, said; “this is not the first time that our people were slaughtered like cows on our own soil with impunity. My dear brother was killed simply because he protested the invasion of his farmland by the herdsmen.”

Also, a mother of three, Mrs Ayesi Balogun, was allegedly raped and killed by some suspected Fulani herdsmen at Asa village, in the Oja Odan area,Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Balogun, was said to have been killed after being raped on her farm.This damning revelation was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard correspondent by the Ketu Advancement Front.

The statement which was signed by its Coordinator and Secretary, Kunle Abiose and Joseph Bankole respectively, read thus, “For the umpteenth time, we, members of Ketu Advancement Front want to register our strong protest with the Government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun over its callous abdication of its constitutional responsibility of ensuring the security of lives of Ketu People from wanton killing by marauding herdsmen.

“We are sad to announce that Mrs Ayesi Balogun, a poor mother of three, was raped and hacked to death on her farm in Asa, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State over the weekend by Fulani herdsmen.

“On sighting her entering the farm, the killer-herdsmen, who had taken over her farm, pounced on her, probably gang raped her, before hacking her to death.”

According to the statement, Balogun’s case brought to 25, the number of innocent and poor people, who had been sent to their early graves in agonising and dehumanising circumstances.

It said, “the latest in the series of the ceaseless murder cases had been reported at the Oja-Odan Police Station for anybody to confirm.
“The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the corpse of Balogun was found in the bush, adding that it had not been established that she was killed by Fulani herdsmen.

Reacting to the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi said that the Ketu people were only crying wolf where none existed.