IGANGAN: Fresh tension as suspected herders attack two
SUSPECTED herders have allegedly attacked two persons with machete at troubled Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to Mr. Taiwo Adeagbo, a resident, the herders attacked the two persons in their village around 1a.m yesterday.
As a result, youths of the community had been on guard because they envisaged the herders could come back.
When explaining further, he said one of the victims had machete cuts on the head while the second one had injuries on his right leg.
Adeagbo said, “Suspected herders invaded the village around 1a.m and attacked two persons. You can imagine when uninvited strangers swooped on innocent people at such an ungodly hour.
“You see why we are saying we don’t want these people who don’t have respect for human lives. The residents have vowed to defend themselves if they try anything of such again”.
When Sunday Vanguard called the Oyo State Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Jiji, he said he didn’t hear anything about the attack.
“I don’t know anything. Is it today? May be when I go out, I will find out. But, as of now, there is peace,” Jiji said.
Igangan came into national attention when community youths, led by Sunday Adeyemo, otherwise known as Sunday Igboho, led other residents to enforce seven days quit order issued to herdsmen in the community, who they accused of beheading one U.S returnee farmer, Dr. Fatai Aborode. The resulting violence led to the destruction of properties in the area with the Sarkin Fulani, Seriki Salihu Abdul Kadir, fleeing to Ilorin.
As of yesterday, Sunday Vanguard gathered that a self-imposed dusk to dawn curfew was in place at Igangan to prevent escalation of the crisis.
An impeccable source said, “Youths have trooped out in large numbers to defend themselves from any further attack. We can see some security agents patrolling the town while officers of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun are keeping vigilance.”
Oyo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Gbenga Fadeyi, said policemen had been dispatched there.
“Already, we have arrested six suspected hoodlums causing problems in the area. There are several policemen there so that peace can be restored.”
