Two feared killed as Fulani, local farmers clash in Oyo
From Iyabo Sotunde and Tunji Omofoye, Ibadan
VIOLENCE broke out yesterday in the ancient city of Otu, in Itesiwaju Local Council area of Oyo State as Fulani cattle rearers and local farmers battled themselves.
In the ensuing melee, two persons were feared dead while farm produce worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Trouble broke out when the local farmers raised alarm that the cattle were allegedly destroying their farmlands and called on their owners to call them to order.
When their call was not yielding positive result, the farmers invited men of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) to mount surveillance on their farmlands.
Following the call by the farmers, 25 OPC men arrived the scene and attempted to drive away the cattle from the farmlands.
This drew the ire of the Fulani cattle rearers who objected to the move and violently resisted the action of the OPC men.
In the crisis that broke out, 60 huts were burned and various farm produce worth millions of naira were destroyed.
It took the intervention of armed policemen to restore normalcy to the town as they promptly dispersed the feuding parties with teargas.
Although the Fulani cattle rearers alleged that the two persons killed in the fracas were their men, police authorities, however, said no report of any death was made.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Adedeji (ASP), who spoke with reporters on the matter, said no death was recorded.
He said his men are on ground to maintain law and order.
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