Angry residents of Isaba Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of kiti State on Saturday protested the killing of two farmers on their farms by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Friday.
The two farmers killed were identified as Toyin Akeju popularly known as Jisoro in the community while the other, simply called Daodu, was said to be a labourer invited to work on the farm.
The protesting residents, comprising youths, women and the aged chanted war songs, made bonfires and rained curses on the killers of the two farmers. The protest affected vehicular and commercial activities while major roads in the community were blocked by the protesters.
A source in Isaba Ekiti said: “The two victims went to the farm on Friday and they were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen who had been terrorising the Ikole, Oke Ako, Irele, Ipao axis. The dead bodies of the two farmers were recovered from the bush on Saturday.”
Another source said the family of the duo on Friday approached men of the Amotekun Corps who in turn initiated a search team alongside local hunters and the police to the farm where they discovered their corpses with gunshot injuries on Saturday morning.
“Obviously, it was a reprisal because on Thursday, the farmers were on the farm and had issues with the herdsmen. The herders went away and returned on Friday to commit the dastardly act against the farmers who only challenged them a day earlier. It is a sad situation.”
Commander of Ekiti Amotekun Corps, Brig. General Joe Komolafe (retd) who confirmed the killing, said his men were already on the trail of the criminal elements as he assured that the corps would do everything possible to put an end to attacks by suspected herdsmen.
Komolafe said, “The two farmers were allegedly killed by the herdsmen after an altercation they earlier had on Thursday. We have handed over their corpses to the police while we continue with our investigations.”
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Sunday Abutu, said that the police had begun investigation to unravel the remote and immediate cause of the crisis to ensure the prosecution of the culprits.
Abutu said, “There was a crisis between some farmers and the herders, in the process, there were casualties. The police were contacted and operatives have been deployed to that axis to maintain peace. The corpses of the deceased had been recovered from the Amotekun Corps and deposited in the morgue at Ikole General Hospital. The Police Commissioner, Mr Tunde Mobayo, has called for calm. Policemen are on the trail of the suspected killers.”