Herdsmen Killed 2, Injured 7 In Ketu

Some herdsmen who refused to live in peace with their hosts have turned communities in Ketu Local Council Development Area of Ogun state into a place where people now fear for their lives. Due to incessant attacks by the rampaging Fulani Herdsmen, thirty primary schools and several hospitals have been closed down.

In a statement yesterday in Abeokuta, the capital, by leaders of the community, Mr Michael Abiose and Mr Williams Olayode, the Ketu Advancement Forum (KAF), speaking for indigenes, regretted that Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration has failed to protect them.

The statement read thus:

"For us, as Ketu people located in Ogunwale state by God the present administration under Governor Amosun, as the chief security officer, has failed us as we bear great frustration and agony in our hearts because neither the governor nor his officials has done to rescue us from the seige  Fulani herds men  who started attack on our community in October 2017“Without going into the hostilities of over 15 years, all of which the state is well aware of, we like to tell the world that most communities in Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have come under renewed siege of Fulani herdsmen in the past five months.

“Our farmers have been sent away from their farms, over 30 primary schools have been shut down, health facilities closed and economic activities paralysed.

“The climax of it started on December 10, last year, when innocent aged women were attacked and macheted in-between Moro and Eegelu villages for their refusal to submit themselves to be raped by heartless herdsmen.

“Nine days after, on December 19, last year, the marauding herdsmen were out on their evil mission again, killing Mr. Olabisi Tangu Afolabi and setting his body ablaze at Oosada village. To add sorrow to the Christmas celebrations, they struck again on December 25, last tear, and murdered Mr. Adegoke Olude at Ogunba Ayetoro.

“However, with the active collaboration of our vigilantes, three of the suspected killers, namely Mohammed Bello (40), Muhammed Momoh (30) and Yisau Umoru (18), were arrested and later paraded by Police Commissioner Ahmed Illyasu with an AK-47 rifle, pieces of 0.8mm live ammunition, 26 live cartridges and two sharp cutlasses, all recovered from them.

“The world may also wish to note that three days after a stakeholders’ meeting convened by Ketu LCDA on January 25, at the instance of the police commissioner and Ketu Advancement Forum (KAF), which was attended by herdsmen, the herdsmen broke loose again into our farms, hewing down palm and teak trees for their herds to graze on.