Residents lament killings in Ondo community, say helicopter dropping arms to suspected herdsmen

Two months after the killing of a farmer, Vincent Ejeh, on his farm by suspected herdsmen in Arimogija community in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, residents of the community have started fleeing their homes following another killing of three villagers.

With fear already pervading the atmosphere of the community, the residents, lamented that some suspected herdsmen had been attacking them on their farms.

According to them, three persons had already been killed in the attacks during the i as they emphasized that nothing had been done by the authorities to, checkmate the criminal activities of the bandits.

The villagers also alleged that a helicopter was sighted in the community’s forest where they said some of the residents saw it dropping ammunition for the suspected herdsmen camped in the bush.

They maintained that the development was reported at the police station but no action was taken by the security agencies on the matter.

One of the residents of the town, who craved anonymity, disclosed that the entire community had been living in fear, saying that some of the residents had begun to relocate from the community following the persistent attacks by herdsmen.

“The Fulani herdsmen have killed three people in this community, in just one week. They killed a rice farmer, Jacob Odushe and his son, Adura this week. They killed another boy, Victor Ejeh. The boy’s corpse was found in the bush after a week that he was declared missing. The cuts on his body showed that he was killed by the bandits .

“Again, few days ago, a helicopter was sighted in our community and we later found out that the helicopter brought some arms and ammunition into the bush for the herdsmen to continue in their attacks against us.

“We want to appeal to the state government to come to our aid, we need serious presence of security agencies in this community and we don’t want to be taking laws into our hands.”

Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistance to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, confirmed the killings in the community, but said the governor had sent some security agents to maintain law and order.

“I have been there, with some people, the people were so bittered about the man and his son that were killed. As they saw us they started protesting but I was able to calm them down.

“They were apprehensive of the fact that they said they saw a particular helicopter that came to the bush and they were suspecting that the helicopter brought some Fulani to the place to come and attack them probably at night .

“But Mr Governor has sent some soldiers there, as I am talking to you, soldiers were patrolling the community.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro was unable to comment on the matter as he said he was at a meeting when a call was put across to him and he did not respond to the text message sent to him.