The police in Oyo State and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have disagreed over the number of casualties following a recent attack on herders at Okere village near Iseyin, in Iseyin Local Government Area of the state.
While MACBAN said 12 herdsmen were killed and 14 others missing, the police command in the state said it has only recovered four bodies of victims.
Chairman of MACBAN in the state, Alhaji Yaqub Bello, told our correspondent that police took photograph of six among the recovered bodies while they refused to visit the spot where others were being killed.
The South West Coordinator of MACBAN, Alhaji Muhammed Kabir Labar, told Daily Trust that the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Moses Alake Adeyemo, had met with the leadership of the group to ensure peace after the Okere killing and that they have assured him that there won’t be reprisals attack on the people.
He urged the government to establish agro-allied force to tackle the incessant clash between the farmers and the herdsmen.
“Though our people are dying but we have instructed our people in Oyo State to avoid reprisal attack on anybody and they dare not try it,” he said.
The police public relations officer in the state, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu in an interview with the Daily Trust said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abiodun Odude, has directed the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to carry out discreet investigation into the case and apprehend the culprits.
Ajisebutu said those victims were murdered by yet to be identified assailants which the CP has vowed to bring to justice.
Meanwhile, the state chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Yaqub Bello, has warned the public, especially the media, against inflammatory comment on the issue, saying Fulani are not criminals as the media seemed to be reporting.
