. Several vehicles, houses burnt
SEGUN OLATUNJI
An unspecified number of persons have been reportedly killed in a violence that erupted following an alleged attack by some youths led by Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, on Fulani herdsmen’s settlement in Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday night.
The attack came on the heels of the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given Fulani herdsmen in the area to quit the town.
According to unconfirmed reports, property worth hundreds of millions of naira were also set ablaze during the clash, which occurred on Friday night.
Recounting his ordeal from his hiding, Sarkin Fulani of Oyo, Alhaji Salihu Kadiri, told some newsmen that he, along with his wives and children, were driven out of their homes, while their properties, including 11 vehicles, were burnt by the irate youths led by Igboho.
Kadiri told selected journalists on the phone, “As I am talking to you, I am hiding somewhere in the bush.
”We fled the town and ran for our dear lives when we heard they were coming to attack us. But they attacked the communities and burnt our houses, my cars and those of my children. They also shot an old woman to death, the victim I learnt may be my first wife.
”Now, I cannot give you the number of people we lost to this attack because as I’m talking to you, we’re all hiding in the bush.”
FirstNews also learnt that fleeing Fulani herdsmen shot dead an unidentified youth from Igboora and also inflicted severe gunshot injuries on two others in the area.
Efforts to reach Igboho proved abortive as his phone was switched off as of the time of filing this report.
Igboho, while addressing the youths of Igangan earlier, had said, “They started deploying soldiers here since yesterday (Thursday). When our people were being kidnapped and killed, there was no soldier to be deployed to secure them.”
It was learnt that the police in the state have already launched a manhunt for Igboho alleged to have led the youths that attacked the Fulani herders’ communities in the area.
Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Gbenga Fadeyi, in his reaction, said, “Tactical police teams with Operation Burst are on ground to give maximum security protection while efforts are on to ascertain the situation there.”
Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier ordered the police to arrest Igboho and his supporters over his quit notice to the Fulani herders in Igangan, to stop those stoking ethnic crisis in the state.