Residents of Aiyetoro Gbede and Iluhagba communities in Ijumu local government area of Kogi state have been informed of possible attacks from the Fulani herdsmen in the area.
The President, Aiyetoro Gbede Development Association (AGDA), Mr.
Ezekiel Olorunfemi gave the warning on Tuesday after meeting with the Olu of Aiyetoro Gbede on security tip-off from Police.
The Fulani community are said to be aggrieved over alleged killing of a young herder by unknown gunmen from Iluhagba community. The aggrieved herders reportedly stormed a peace meeting in Iluhagba giving to community three days ultimatum to produce the slain boy or face their wrath.
Relaying the security threat to members of the Aiyetoro Gbede community, Mr. Olorunfemi noted that the issue has been reported to the Divisional Police Office (DPO) in the area.
“This evening, precisely by 5:00pm, HRH, the Olu of Ayetoro Gbede invited us to his palace to brief us of how the DPO informed him of the looming danger arising from the Fulani’s report that one of their sons was missing having been chased by three people.
“The Bororo man, as we were told, said, of the two boys who were being chased, one of them escaped and reported he couldn’t look back, while he was running, to see his partner before he later heard the sound of gunshots twice. To him, he believed that since his partner couldn’t be found, he must have been shot dead by those who were chasing them. This incidence was said to have happened on Iluhagba land, yesterday.
“According to Kabiyesi, he invited the hunters to immediately go and search for the boy but this they did to no avail. Four policemen, twenty hunters from Ayetoro Gbede with four hunters from Iluhagba and about forty Bororo Fulani were involved in the search.
“Kabiyesi made us to know that these Bororos destroyed Chief (Prince) Olusola Akanmode’s cassava farm. Up to three hundred Diana truck load of cassava were uprooted in the farm. This was also confirmed in the statement of Oluode of Ayetoro Gbede when he joined the meeting. This side of the story was never told by the Bororos in their report. They said the boys ran away from the three men coming towards them with guns.
“In the process of the search, no trace of blood or the boy was found in the bush. The Bororo man whose son was lost insisted his son needed to be found. He, in company of others, came to inform Kabiyesi that he was traveling to his home town. There and then, Kabiyesi said he told him to report to the DPO and inform the Kabiyesi of Iluhagba, on whose territory the incidence occurred, in case he would be needed.
“According to Kabiyesi, he went to the DPO but was hesitant to go to Iluhagba claiming that Iluhagba people promised to wipe them out. He eventually went after Kabiyesi had called Iluhagba people to host them peacefully, but to Kabiyesi’s surprise the people of Iluhagba called that the Bororos came and gave them three days ultimatum to produce the boy or else…
“This threat has been reported to the DPO and it has made kabiyesi to invite us to deliberate on the matter. Mr Arowosafe, Elder Eniolorunda S. O., secretary, Oba-in-council, four other chiefs, AGDA Secretary and AGDA President were all present at the meeting with Kabiyesi,” he said.
Olorunfemi hinted that the Aiyetoro Gbede monarch summoned elders, chiefs and hunters to ensure the community is at alert to the possible attacks from Fulani herdsmen.
