In a recent violent confrontation, suspected herdsmen assaulted members of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun Corps, in the Igoba community near Akure in the Akure North Local Government Area, Nigeria.
The attack occurred as the operatives were enforcing the state’s anti-open grazing law.
Jimoh Adeniken, the spokesperson for Amotekun Corps, confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday. According to Adeniken, the officers were responding to farmers’ complaints about the persistent destruction of their farms by cows in the Igoba and Osi communities.
“One of our officers, who remains unidentified, was hacked during the attack,” Adeniken revealed. “The herdsmen were armed with stones, bottles, and cutlasses, which they used against our men.”
The incident began around 4:00 p.m. on July 5, 2024, when Amotekun operatives, following multiple complaints since May, arrived at the farms with a surveillance team. They discovered over 120 cows ravaging the farmland with no herdsmen in sight.
“Determined to enforce the anti-open grazing law, our operatives moved the cows out of the farms. However, upon reaching the Sango Area at Igoba, along Ado Road in Akure, they were ambushed by groups of armed Fulani herdsmen,” Adeniken said. “The attackers used stones, bottles, cutlasses, and even guns against our officers.”
The Amotekun operatives were forced to retreat under orders from their Command as the herdsmen continued their assault, pursuing them until they reached the main road.
