Police nab three for killing farmer in Ogun

Ogun state Police Command on Monday arrested three herdsmen for allegedly killing a 40-year-old farmer, Rafiu Sowemimo, at Adao village in Alabata area of Odeda LGA in the state.

The suspects are: Muhammed Adamu, Saliu Ismail and Saliu Adamu.

Our correspondent gathered that the suspected herdsmen had on Sunday accosted the farmer and allegedly stabbed him in the neck on his way back  home from the farm.

The development had created tension in the community as the youths had been threatening to embark on reprisal attacks.

However, the Olu of Alabata, Chief Sanusi Waheed, who oversees the affected Adao community had called  for quick government’s  intervention to abort the plans of the youths to foment trouble, saying  the herders had “crossed their boundaries.”

But on Monday, the spokesman of the Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed the arrest of three herdsmen who allegedly carried out the murder.

According to him, some herdsmen while grazing their cattle entered the farm belonging to the deceased and destroyed some of his crops.

“The victim thereafter accosted the herders and challenged them to know the reason behind their destructive action. This led to altercation between him and the herders, consequent upon which the herdsmen stabbed him to death,” Oyeyemi said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.

The Police spokesman explained that upon receipt of a distressed call, the Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, directed the command operatives to move into the scene and ensure that the culprit were brought to book.

“In compliance with the CP’s directive, the officers led other policemen to the scene and with information from the natives; they were able to arrest the three herders who perpetrated the heinous crime,” he said.

He added that Makama had visited the village to condole with the family of the victim and thereafter ordered the transfer of the suspects to Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation and prosecution.