In a troubling incident on Saturday, a group of herders reportedly launched a violent attack on operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.
According to Jimoh Adeniken, the Public Relations Officer of Amotekun in Ondo, the assault occurred as the operatives responded to persistent complaints from farmers in the Igoba and Osi areas of Akure North Local Government Area.
Adeniken detailed in a statement that the Amotekun operatives were deployed to address grievances from local farmers regarding cattle ravaging their farms.
Upon arriving at the scene, the operatives discovered over one hundred cows unattended and causing significant damage to agricultural land.
Determined to enforce the state’s anti-open grazing law, the Amotekun team began to move the cows away from the farms.
However, the situation escalated dramatically when armed Fulani herdsmen reportedly attacked the officers with a barrage of stones, bottles, cutlasses, and firearms.
The assailants’ aggression resulted in severe injuries to several Amotekun operatives, with one officer reportedly beaten into a coma during the altercation.
“In response to escalating violence, our operatives were forced to withdraw under orders from headquarters,” Adeniken stated.
“Despite efforts to disengage peacefully, the attackers persisted in their assault, forcing our officers to fire warning shots to protect themselves and retreat safely.”
The injured officers are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital, highlighting the dangerous nature of the confrontation.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions over the enforcement of anti-open grazing laws in Ondo State, enacted in 2021 following resolutions by the Southern Governors’ Forum.
Authorities are now investigating the attack, with calls for heightened security measures in affected areas to prevent further violence and ensure the safety of all residents.