BY REBECCA AJANI
SCORES of unknown gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herders, stormed Igangan, in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Saturday night, killing about 20 people.
The bandits, who stormed the area on motorcycles, also reportedly set many houses ablaze, including the Palace of the monarch.
The attack is coming a week after the Chairman of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, Gen. Ajibola Togun (retd) warned that some foreign herders were hibernating in forest reserves, waiting to attack Yoruba communities.
A former caretaker chairman of the Local Government Area, Tunji Omolewu, confirmed the incident, reportedly claiming he had counted more than 20 dead bodies.
“I got the call around 11 pm. We were on our way from Ekiti where we had gone to do the Yoruba nation rally. I got to Ibadan around 12 am and when the calls did not stop coming, I decided to come home. I have counted more than 20 dead bodies. The palace of our monarch was torched. Adolak filling station too was burnt,” he noted.
“Fulani herders came in the night to attack our people. They killed many people. I’m there now counting the number of dead people. I don’t know how many for now because we are still counting,” he added.
Residents feel it might have been a reprisal attack on the community after Fulanis were chased out a few months ago.
Former caretaker chairman of Ibarapa Central, Yemi Akinlabi, said, “Only a few days ago, our people got an intelligence report and forwarded it to the appropriate quarters for actions but here we are today. Are we going to continue to live in fear in our land?”
“I have spoken to General Toogun about last night’s incident and we would want him and his team to do something. Our people must not be allowed to resort to self-help,” he stated.
