Ondo community cry out over siege by suspected criminal herders

Leaders of the community at a press conference in Akure on Thursday said the area is "under the siege" of terrorists.
ByJosiah Oluwole June 16, 2023

The people of Ijagba in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised an alarm to the authorities over kidnappings and killings by suspected herders in their area.

Leaders of the community at a press conference in Akure on Thursday said the area is “under the siege” of terrorists.

“We are constrained to inform the Ondo State Government of the disheartening incident in Ose Local government south axis, particularly in Ijagba town,” Sunday Ogoh, a high chief, said while speaking with journalists.

” For the past two years we have not been having peace of mind in our community (due to) kidnappings, killings and burning of our houses and farm lands by Fulani herdsmen.

“Just three days ago, we lost one of our illustrious sons, by name Ohiremen Isaac Odeh, while the son, named Solomon Isaac Odeh, was also kidnapped on their way to the farm. Apart from that, in that area, we also lost one of our former chairmen, Mr. Bola Adelegbe.”


Mr Ogoh said a search party raised by the community later discovered Mr Odeh’s lifeless body after covering several kilometres in the bush.

He said the son of the deceased was only released by the kidnappers after the payment of a ransom of N400,000.

“This problem is not limited to Ijagba, these Fulani herdsmen operate in Imoru, Molege, Arimagija, Ute and Okeluse. There is no security in those areas.

“So we are appealing to the state government that we need a military base, Nigerian Army to be specific, so that they can mount one or two checkpoints in the area between Ifon, Imoru, Ijagba, Ute and Okeluse in order to reduce the attacks by these Fulani herdsmen.

“Now, many people cannot go to their farms. The area has become a den of terrorists because there is a big forest reserve behind Okeluse. They use the place as their base and whenever they kidnap people they will ask for ransom and once you cannot give them the ransom within two to three days, they will kill you. So we have lost about 20 souls in that area in the last two years.

“We have reported to the state government and the security agencies in the state and the traditional rulers in those communities have held several meetings but up till now we have not seen any positive response from the state government.”

Solomon, the son of the late Mr Odeh, narrated his ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/604850-ondo-community-cry-out-over-siege-by-suspected-criminal-herders.html

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