The media was awashed with reports that some Fulani herdsmen stormed the Secretariat of Akure South Local Government in Ondo state and are attacking staffs that were resuming for duty in the early hours of yesterday 13th February 2018.
Investigations has however showed that the incident was a mere disagreement that could have been a dialogue between the herdsman and the farmer.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Femi Joseph, the spokesman of the Ondo State Police Command confirmed that the incident was about a “hot disagreement” between the junior staff of the Akure South Local Government and some Fulani herdsmen.
“There was no invasion by the Fulani herdsmen as widely reported by some media mostly in Akure today.”
“It was just a disagreement between a local farmer and about two herdsmen grazing their cattle at the back of the Akure South Local Government Secretariat.”
“The farmer is a junior staff of the Akure South Local Government who has a commercial farm at the back of the secretariat.”
“Getting to the farm this morning around 9 am he saw some of the Fulani herdsmen grazing their cattle and were eaten his vegetable plantation.”
“This forced the man to quickly raised an alarm as he engaged one of the herders who was armed with a machete in a fight inside the farm.”
“In fact, one of the herders sustained some minor injuries on his arms as he fought back and chased after the LG junior staff.”
“The other man had to run into the secretariat to raise an alarm which attracted other staffs who took to their heels and left their offices but we have arrested two of the herdsmen.”
He also confirmed that the State Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju, had already visited the farm to ascertain the level of damages.
Also, a source at the local secretariat told our correspondent that trouble started a boy of about eight years stormed the farm with the cattle and grazed on the vegetable plantations.
“Our staff that was managing the farm asked the boy to leave the place with the cattle but he felt reluctant then he was pushed and in the process, he fell down.”
“An older herder which we suspected to be the elder brother to the boy saw what transpired and pulled out a machete to engaged the local government worker.”
“The LG worker also has a cutlass in his own hand started engaging the herders and both men were exchanging blows then the Fulani man was injured in the process,” he added.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Ondo State Command however says it has arrested two Fulani herdsmen over a clash.
