Persons suspected to be herdsmen, on Thursday, attacked communities in Ogun State and killed two people, forcing early closure of schools, businesses and hospitals.
The armed hoodlums reportedly invaded Owode – Ketu and Ijoun communities in Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, around 5 am on Thursday, killing two villagers in an ambush attack.
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The development comes barely five days after suspected herdsmen slaughtered a farmer, Dele Olowoniyi, at Oha village in Imeko Afon Local Government Area.
Daily Trust gathered that the Thursday attack forced the early closure of schools, hospitals and other businesses as villagers scampered for safety.
The Baale of Owode-Ketu, Reverend Sanya Fabuyi, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the herdsmen were armed with sophisticated weapons.
Fabuyi said the villagers were helpless as the suspected herdsmen shot sporadically causing panic around the area.
The youth leader of the community, Sina Olaleye, also said the suspected herdsmen, who put on bulletproof vests, immediately fled into the forest after the attack.
Attackers in bulletproof vests
He said: “The [suspected] herdsmen were more than one hundred and some of them were putting on bulletproof vests.
“They are still in the forest now and the police are here combing the forest.
“All schools and businesses have been shut down and our people are indoors for fear of being attacked.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that two people were killed in the ambush.
He, however, said the police could not ascertain whether the attackers were herdsmen or not.
Oyeyemi said a joint security team comprising the police, local hunters, youths and men of the local vigilance group, were combing the forests where the suspects reportedly fled into after the attack.
He said “We are combing the push right now. All the Area Commanders of the police divisions, all the Divisional Police officers (DPOs) in that area, the hunters and the youths of all the communities (Eggua, Igbogila, Sawonjo and others), hunters and men of the local vigilance group have joined the police to comb the forest.
“The Area Commander of Ayetoro division is leading the onslaught.
“We are still in the bush now combing for those people.”
Gov Abiodun condemns attack
Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has kicked against the attacks, saying that his administration would leave no stone unturned in curtailing the activities of brigands in the state.
The governor also ordered the deployment of a special task force, comprising the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, including the State Security Service and local vigilante groups, with representatives of other stakeholder entities in the crises-prone areas.
Abiodun directed that investigations be sped up and concluded so that indicted persons could be charged to court and prosecuted in the interest of justice.
The governor’s reaction was contained in a statement made available to Daily Trust in Abeokuta by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin.
He said: “The government will leave no stone unturned in checking the activities of brigands and criminals in this state.
“Ogun cannot be defined by crimes and criminalities. Ogun does not have any haven – safe or unsafe – for killers, bandits, insurgents or cultists.
“We shall spare no action, including ruthless ones, to bring peace, public order into every hamlet, town and city in the Gateway State.
“The provisions of the Constitution and the moral authority confer on the government the right to protect the lives and properties of the people. This is sacrosanct and shall not be compromised under Governor Dapo Abiodun’s watch.”
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