By Ayodele Oni
In what looked like a reprisal attack, gunmen, suspected to be rogue Fulani Herdsmen attacked Igangan, country home of Yoruba Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, (Igboho) in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, leaving not less than 20 people dead.
The midnight attack was coming barely six days after the Chairman of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, General Ajibola Togun (retd) raised the alarm that some foreign Herders were about to unleash terror on the six states in the South West.
It also came few hours after Igboho, during a Yoruba rally in Ado Ekiti, flayed the activities of Fulani Herdsmen, especially in the South West.
Houses, including the Palace of the Community’s Monarch, were set ablaze.
Spokesperson of Igangan Community, Mr Taiwo Adeagbo, said the invaders, who were Fulani Herders, unleashed terror on residents of the town.
A former Caretaker Chairman of the Council, Mr Tunji Omolewu, claimed the attack was real as he rushed down to Igangan this morning to verify.
‘I got the call around 11 pm. We were on our way from Ekiti where we had gone to do the Yoruba Nation rally. I got to Ibadan around 12 am and when the calls did not stop coming, I decided to come home.
“I have counted more than 20 dead bodies. The Palace of our Monarch was torched. Adolak filling station, too, was burnt.”
Another resident explained that the attackers were more than 50.
“They came on 20 motorcycles around 11 pm. They started shooting, stabbing, and clubbing our people.
“We don’t know what is happening now. We have shouted, cried and appealed for help but none came.
“These people have been killing us one by one. But, now, more than 20 people have been killed in this fresh attack.
“You know we sent them away from here when they were kidnapping and raping our women. Perhaps, this is a reprisal. Is this how we will continue to live our lives?”
