Kenneth Afor
Three persons were said to have been killed after youths said to be supporters of Sunday Adeyemo, a Yoruba activist popularly known as Sunday Igboho, reportedly attacked communities occupied by the Fulanis in Iganga, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday.
The deceased include a woman and two children, according to the Daily Trust.
Unconfirmed reports from residents of Igangan also indicated that at least one youth from Igboora was killed by Fulani fighters while two others sustained injuries from gunshots.
Sunday Igboho had given the Fulani a seven-day ultimatum, which expired on Friday, to vacate the area over what he described as the rising killings of residents, as well as kidnaping and banditry in the community.
The rampaing youths, who reportedly stormed the town to carry out Igboho’s order, destroyed houses and other properties worth millions of naira.
Salihu Kadiri, the Sarkin Fulani in the area, said his house was set ablaze by the youths.
“As I am talking to you, I am hiding somewhere in the bush. We fled for our lives when we learnt that they were coming. They burnt my cars and those of my children. They also killed an old woman, who I learnt may be my first wife.
“As at now, I cannot give you the details of the people we lost to this attack because we are still hiding,’’ the newspaper quoted Kadiri as saying.
Aliyu Salihu Kadiri, one of the children of the Sarkin Fulani, said three people were killed during the attack.
“They burnt our communities. And we are afraid that our children, wives and aged people who could not run may have been killed”, he said.
Also, Ibrahim Jiji, Chairman of Miyetti Allah in the state, described the incident as unfortunate, urging government to find lasting solutions to Fulani-farmers unrest in the state.
However, a media aide to Sunday Igboho said the incident must have happened after the youth leader had left Igangan.
“Sunday Igboho was there not to fight but to appeal to both sides and assure Yoruba residents that there won’t be problem,” the media aide said.
Oluwagbeniga Fadeyi, spokesperson of the Oyo Police Command, said he could not confirm the incident at the time of report.
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, told the BBC Hausa Service on Friday that Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, had directed the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Ngozi Onadeko, to arrest Igboho.
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