SUSPECTED HERDSMEN ATTACK ONDO COMMUNITY, KILL 3, RAZE BUILDINGS
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Sunday, visited Omolege Junction near Ute in Ose Local Government Area of the state, where gunmen suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen killed three persons and razed buildings.
He commiserated with the people over the death of their loved ones, particularly the Community Head. He said no Government would be happy with the killings of her people, in whatever circumstance. He said investigations are ongoing and promised that the culprits would be arrested soon. He also said they will be treated like the criminals that they are.
The Governor was accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Oyediran Oyeyemi, Commander of Amotekun Corps, Tunji Adeleye, and some state officials.
The Governor described the attack on the community as highly unfortunate. He vowed that concerted efforts will be made to ensure that such attack does happen again.
”I commiserate with you on the death of your loved ones. May their souls Rest In Peace. No government will be happy with this kind of development. But you have to be prepared. These herdsmen are becoming too problematic. We are not sleeping. You can see Police and Amotekun here. With this one they have done, we will ensure that it is their last evil act here.
“Those behind this are criminals. Those supporting them are all criminals too. Anyone who commits crime will answer for it. The Police and Amotekun with other security agencies will set out and bring them to justice. We will treat them like criminals.
“Both the Police and Amotekun have briefed me that they were being shot at. But for their boldness and courage, the criminals would have overwhelmed them. I want to assure you, don’t be scared. We are still on their track. They have ran to Edo now. But for the houses that were raised down, government will bring relieve material. We will rebuild the ones that were razed completely", the Governor said.
A Monarch, the Akarigbo of Ute Land, Chief Felix Olabode, gave an account of the ugly incident.
He said: ”I was home when we heard that some gunmen came and killed people here. We came here immediately and we met a dead body. These buildings have not been razed. When we alerted the Police, the DPO came and we didn’t know that those people were still around. Not less than 30 minutes after the Police evacuated the dead bodied, the gunmen came back and razed these buildings down.
“They always use guns to scare people away here and then brought their cows to graze on people’s farm and drink water. When they are leaving too, they also use guns to scare people away and leave. We have seen the level of damage here. People have left here. We are begging the Government to come to our rescue.”
Co-ordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in the area, Folorunso Olofe said the herdsmen in the area were usually armed with AK 47 rifles.
He said: “This has been happening for long. They are always coming with AK 47, they were more than 50. One Amotekun officer was hit with a bullet during the attack. They came and killed the Baale. Police came and evacuated the dead bodies and not up to fifteen minutes, they came back and razed this place."
The villagers said the gunmen attacked the community because they refused to allow the herdsmen graze on their farms.
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