SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, (THEWILL) – Residents of Oke-Ako community in Ikole local government of Ekiti State have fled to neighbouring communities following an attack by suspected herdsmen on Friday night which left at least two persons dead.
The attack which left several other villagers injured has turned the community to a ghost town with the locals fleeing to Irele, Ipao and Ikole communities for fear that the herdsmen might return.
Reports gathered by THEWILL indicate that the herdsmen, who were armed with guns, bows, arrows, swords and cutlasses, invaded the community at about 8.00 pm and launched the attack on the locals many of whom were already asleep at the time.
According to sources, the locals, who have been co-habiting peacefully with herdsmen for long, started having disagreement with the herdsmen on the destruction of their farmlands by the grazing of the cattle which prompted the people to organise patrols on the farms to prevent cattle grazing.
While the remains of the dead had been deposited in the morgue at a private hospital in Ado Ekiti, the injured were receiving treatment at the same health facility.
The Deputy Governor, Kolapo Olusola, on his visit to the town revealed that the state government would take all necessary steps to avoid reoccurrence.
“We won’t allow strangers to destroy our lives and properties at will,” he said.
“This is a sad development that we must tackle to ensure justice and peace reign in the state.”
The attack occurred weeks after the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose declared the state a no-go area for the herdsmen and advised the people of the state to lace the rivers with poisonous substance “Gammalin Twenty” to kill the cattle of the herdsmen.
Story by David Oputah
