•Armed Fulani herdsmen
The gruesome killing of a local farmer, Rabiat Atere, by suspected Fulani herdsmen at Oka Akoko, in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, has sparked outrage.
Atere was reportedly attacked on her farm in Oka on Monday evening, reports The Nation.
The deceased, who hailed from Uba in Oka-Akoko, was said to have invested heavily on the farm before she was violently killed.
A source who spoke to our correspondent said the middle-aged woman whose corpse had already been deposited at the hospital morgue in Iwaro Oka was tilting on her farmland when the bandits struck.
“It is a sad incident, but her lifeless body was discovered, and she was taken to a mortuary in Iwaro,” the source said after pleading anonymously.
Condemning the dastardly attack in strong terms, the bereaved youths of the community have called on the security agencies to smoke out the suspected marauders and perpetrators to face prosecution.
The youths, under the aegis of Akoko Youth Forum (AYF), claimed that the killing of Atere was masterminded by Fulani herdsmen.
In a statement issued today by its National President, Ibukun-oluwa Akeju, the youths described the killing of Mrs Atere as a direct attack on the peace being enjoyed in the community.
“This heinous act, allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani assailants, is a direct attack on the peace and safety of our people, a threat we can no longer tolerate,” the statement read.
The youths decried the lack of immediate security response in the aftermath of the murder, noting that since the evacuation of the victim’s body by the police, no security presence had been deployed to the area.
“It is deeply troubling that since the incident occurred and the Nigeria Police evacuated her body, no form of security presence has been deployed to the community. Our people are now left to live in fear, without assurance of protection or justice,” he added.
They called on the security agencies, traditional rulers, and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted, and that peace and security are restored to the affected communities.
Olayinka Ayanlade, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed the sad incident, noting that a marching order has been given to the security agencies to go after the perpetrators.
