Suspected herdsmen assaulted members of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, in the Igoba community near Akure, located in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The attack occurred while the Amotekun operatives were enforcing the state’s anti-open grazing law. Jimoh Adeniken, spokesperson for the Amotekun Corps in the state, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to Adeniken, the operatives had responded to complaints from farmers in the Igoba and Osi communities regarding frequent destruction of their farms by cows.
During the assault, one officer, who has not yet been identified, was reportedly injured by the armed herdsmen.
Adeniken further revealed that the herdsmen used stones, bottles, and cutlasses to carry out the attack on the officers.
“Upon constant complaints from many farmers in the Igoba and Osi areas of Akure North Local Government since the 6th of May 2024 till date, the agency of Amotekun corps from the Headquarters in Alagbaka Akure, responded today dated 5th of July 2024, at about 1600 hours,” he said.
“During the operation, the corps surveillance team was led to the farms by the owners. On getting there, they met over one hundred and twenty cows ravaging the farms and there was nobody with the cows.
“Determined to enforce the anti-open grazing law of the state, the operatives of the Amotekun corps moved the cows out of the farms, and while passing by the Sango Area, at Igoba, along Ado Road in Akure, groups of armed Fulani herdsmen attacked the officers with stones, bottles, cutlasses, and guns.”
According to Adeniken, the officers had to quickly retreat to base on the order from the Command, as the attackers continued throwing stones and bottles till the Amotekun operatives escaped to the main road.