Barely two days after some assailants trailed a farmer from Orisunmibare in Oye Local Government Area to his farm and had his head and hands chopped off, a herdsman, Ahmed Dele was yesterday beheaded by unidentified persons in Omu town, in the same local government.
The victim, it was learnt was pursued by his assailants while on grazing expedition before they caught up with him few kilometers away from the town where he was killed and his head removed. Confirming the incident, Secretary Jamunati Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, Idris Salaudeen said the victim was a member of the association.
According to him, Dele, 26, a Fulani from Kwara State was declared missing by his boss, Jimoh Dele last Monday, after he failed to return home with his Cattle. He added that the victim’ body was later discovered around 4.30 am in the bush, two kilometers away from the town.
Salaudeen disclosed that with this ugly incident, many of them were afraid of going about with their legitimate business since they didn’t known the motive behind the gruesome killing of one of their members. The Fulani’s scribe therefore called on Federal Government and security agencies to save the Fulani community from “unprovoked and unwarranted attack by unmasking the killers and bring them to justice.”
“This is a very sad frightening development considering what the country is going through in terms of insecurity. There has been a lot of misconceptions and negative reports about the activities of Fulani herdsmen in recent time. But I want to tell you that we are peace loving people and we have been living peacefully with our various host communities in Ekiti State.”
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of the community, the Olomu of Omu,Oba JA Ogundeyi described the incident as strange and condemnable. The monarch described the victim as peace loving individual who has been found wanting in his business.
He explained the community had been thrown into a mourning mood since the news broke out . “The deceased is personally known to me in the Palace because he was a jovial person. Whenever he was going leading his cattle for grazing he would stop by and play with me.
The whole community is very sad about this. Our community played host many tribes and ethnic groups and we have been living together peacefully.” Oba Ogundeyi ,who,appealed for calm ,however said that the Palace in collaboration with other stakeholders have swung into action with the view to unearth the mystery behind the incident.
(Vanguard)
