Youths in the Ala Elefosan community of Akure North Local Government Area, Ondo State, on Tuesday stormed the office of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa with corpses of four farmers allegedly killed by suspected herdsmen.
The gruesome killings occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at the popular Thirteen-Thirteen camp when the farmers were ambushed on their way to their farms.
Enraged by the recurring attacks, residents—mostly youths—barricaded the major roundabout leading to the governor’s office in Alagbaka with the bodies of the victims placed in coffins.
The community’s traditional ruler, Taiwo Samuel, who led the protest, lamented the government’s failure to curb the violence and called for permission to allow residents to defend themselves.
“Three were killed this morning, and another was murdered two days ago. We brought the bodies here so that no one can deny what we’re facing anymore,” Samuel said.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa promised us security after the last attack, but we are still being killed.”
He warned that if the government continued to fail in protecting residents, communities might be forced to resort to self-defence.
Spokesperson for the state police command, Alayande Olayinka, confirmed the killings and said tactical teams had been deployed to the affected area to restore calm.
Tuesday’s incident comes barely two weeks after five farmers were similarly killed in Aba Oyinbo, also in Akure North, raising fears over worsening insecurity in the state.
Governor Aiyedatiwa had in March assured residents that steps were being taken to curb insecurity after meeting with security chiefs.
Also on Monday, pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, expressed concern over the spike in herder-related killings across the South-West and urged the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to collaborate with governors to address the crisis.
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