The protesters
By Deborah Nnamdi
There is palpable tension in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday as farmers took to the streets to protest the alleged killing of five individuals by suspected herdsmen at Aba Oyinbo community in Akure North Local Government Area.
Reports indicate that the assailants stormed the community in the early hours of Wednesday, firing on the victims.
This latest violence follows a recent spate of killings, including the reported murder of at least 14 people by gunmen in four other communities—Ademekun, Aba Pastor, Aba Sunday, and Alajido—all within the same local government area.
Angry protesters gathered at the Governor’s Office in large numbers, chanting solidarity songs and urging Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take swift action to end the ongoing attacks on farmers.
One protester, identified as Jonah, expressed outrage over the rising killings, claiming that the attackers had entered the state from Edo.
“We are being slaughtered without anyone doing anything. Akure North is under siege. We are farmers, not criminals. We are appealing to the governor, the police, the army, and Amotekun to save us before more lives are lost,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, security operatives had been deployed to the protest scene to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
