No fewer than 15 people have been killed in an overnight attack by killer Fulani herdsmen at Igangan, in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The gunmen suspected to be of Fulani origin invaded the town late on Saturday, burning fuel stations, houses, shops and the palace of Oba Lasisi Adeoye, the monarch of the town, an eye witness recounts.
He said the armed men operated till the early hours of Sunday.
The assailants who were said to be many, reportedly shot dead ten residents and security agents who were said to have rushed to the town also killed five among the attackers.
A truck loaded with cassava flour and some cars were said to have been set ablaze by the rampaging gunmen during the midnight attack.
According to The Cable, some of the residents of Ayete, which is the headquarters of Ibarapa North Local Government Council, said that residents of Igangan sent messages across to them and others in Ibarapa communities to help them get across to security agencies to come to their rescue.
”You need to come to Igangan now to see the destruction here and ruins off the town after the attack. Around 11 pm on Saturday, Fulanis in large number stormed our community and began to burn all petrol stations. They burned shops, houses and the palace of our king. They burnt several houses too.
“They killed over 10 people and injured many others. They used sophisticated weapons in the attack. But their activities were later repelled by men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency otherwise known as Amotekun) and youths in the town. Four of the attackers were killed while others fled. As I speak to you, there are dead bodies in front of me.”
The Convener of Igangan Development Advocates, Oladiran Oladokun, said that the attack had subsided at around 3 am.
Ibarapa in Iganagan community has been under grievous attack in recent times by Fulani herdsmen.
Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho had in January issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Seriki Fulani, Abdulkadir Salihu, who was accused of being behind many of the attacks.
On the expiration of the ultimatum, angry youths from Ibarapa communities invaded the Seriki’s residence and destroyed his property.
Igboho’s home was also set ablaze in retaliation.
Source: TSJ