Suspect Arrested in Oyo Following Brutal Attack on Farmer by Herdsmen

Oyo Farmer’s Fingers Severed: Arrest Made in Herdsmen Assault Case

​In a recent incident in Oyo State, a farmer named Mr. John Akin suffered the loss of two fingers following an attack by herdsmen on his cassava farm in Ilowa Gbade Village, Atiba Local Government Area. The altercation occurred when Akin confronted the herders, whose cattle were destroying his crops, and requested them to remove the animals from his farmland. This request reportedly angered the herders, leading to the assault in which Akin’s fingers were severed.

The incident has heightened concerns among local residents, who are increasingly worried about the violent invasions of their farms and communities. One of the herdsmen involved was apprehended and handed over to the Atiba Division of the Oyo State Police Command, where he is currently detained for interrogation.

This attack is part of a broader pattern of conflicts between farmers and herders in Oyo State. In a similar case, suspected herdsmen reportedly chopped off a farmer’s hand in Ikoyi-Ile, an agrarian community in Orire Local Government Area. Additionally, there have been reports of herders raping women and destroying farmlands, exacerbating tensions in the region.

In response to these escalating conflicts, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared that the state will not tolerate errant herdsmen, bandits, and other criminals relocating from the northern parts of the country. He emphasized the state’s commitment to maintaining peace and security, stating, “We will push back to ensure that they are flushed out of our State.”

Residents have appealed to Governor Makinde and security agencies to intensify efforts against such criminal activities to prevent a full-blown crisis in the state.