A mysterious thunderstrike on Sunday killed no fewer than eight cows in the Ori-Ohin community of Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, sparking fresh concerns over continued violations of the state’s anti-open grazing law by suspected Fulani herders.
Eyewitnesses and community leaders attributed the incident to alleged spiritual retaliation following the repeated invasion of farmlands by herders, despite multiple warnings and state legislation prohibiting open grazing.
A viral video circulating online on Monday showed the lifeless bodies of the cows scattered across a farmland believed to have been desecrated.
Community sources claimed the land had been leased to Ebira-speaking farmers from Kogi State, who had repeatedly suffered losses due to the destructive activities of herders.
A local resident, Joshua Ogunmola, confirmed the incident to Peoples Gazette, revealing that the herders had ignored several warnings and were in constant breach of the law.
“These herders have been flouting the anti-grazing law. They let their cows loose on our farms, destroying crops.
After lodging complaints to security agencies with no results, the farmers decided to seek spiritual intervention,” he said.
According to Ogunmola, the thunderstrike followed what he described as a traditional sacrifice by affected farmers. “It appeared that the sacrifice made by the farm owners led to the thunder that struck the cows,” he added.
A palace aide, speaking anonymously, echoed the claim, stating that the herders had continuously trespassed on protected farmlands, warning that the community would no longer tolerate such violations.
“We received the shocking news this morning just before prayers that thunder had struck and killed eight cows. We believe it is tied to the persistent flouting of the Livestock Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law 2021,” the aide said.
Confirming the development, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alayande Olushola Adeyinka, described the incident as a “natural phenomenon,” stressing that no individual or group would be held responsible.
“I can confirm that eight cows were killed by thunder yesterday (Sunday) in the community. It’s a natural occurrence.
However, we have had officers on ground for the past two weeks in response to herder-related complaints to prevent any escalation,” Adeyinka told Peoples Gazette.
The incident adds to a growing list of mysterious cow deaths in Ondo attributed to thunderstrikes. In 2019, 36 cows belonging to herders were struck dead on the ‘sacred’ Oke-Owa hill in Ijare, Ifedore Local Government Area.
A similar case was recorded a month later at Oyinmo quarters in Ikare-Akoko, where eight cows were killed on a mountain under unexplained circumstances.
Tensions have continued to simmer across parts of Ondo State where farmers and herders clash over grazing routes and farmland destruction, despite government efforts to enforce ranching regulations.
With Sunday’s mysterious thunderstrike, community leaders are again calling on authorities to intensify enforcement of the grazing law to prevent further spiritual or physical retaliation in the state’s agrarian communities.
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