Etim Effiong
Suspected herdsmen have killed Ogun farmer, one Dele Olowoniyi, who was said to be asleep in his farm settlement at Oha village, Imeko, in the Ime-Afon Local Government Area.
It was learnt that the farmer was found dead by his wife with machete cuts in his neck and other parts of the body on Sunday.
A village source said some Fulani herdsmen stormed the village in the night with guns and cutlasses, adding that they could be the same people who slaughtered Olowoniyi in the farm.
“One of our brothers in Imeko here was killed in the early hour of Sunday around 1am by Fulani herdsmen.
“They stormed the village during the midnight with guns and cutlasses, they were shot indiscriminately, destroying property.
“Dele Olowoniyi was slaughtered by the Fulani herdsmen at Oha village. After killing him, they left for Iwoye Ketu,” the source said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the killing, noting that there was no evidence that the man was killed by Fulani herdsmen.
“The place is a farm settlement, there is only one building there, where the man lived with his wife.
“We were told that he complained of heat and went outside to sleep, but in the morning, he was found dead.
“Nobody can point at his killers, we cannot confirm yet whether the killers are Fulani herdsmen or not. We are still investigating.”
Oyeyemi stated that the family did not allow the police to keep the body for an autopsy.
“They said they don’t want him to be taken to mortuary, and since that is what they want, there is nothing we can do than to release the corpse to them,” he added.