Tension in Ondo over alleged supply of weapons to herdsmen

By DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

Palpable tension enveloped Arimogija, in Ose council area of Ondo state weekend over alleged supply of weapons by a helicopter to herdsmen to unleash terror on the residents of the community

The helicopter was alleged to have landed in the bush where the weapons were said to have been supplied to the herdsmen.

Recall that a rice farmer, Jacob Oduche, his son, Adura and one Victor Ejeh were murdered in their farm by suspected herdsmen last week.

Consequently, residents of the community have fled their houses following the attack by the herdsmen and the alleged nonchalant attitudes of the state police command.

However, the chairman of the Ose council area of the state, Dennis Adekunle in a statement appealed to ” all relevant security agencies to urgently look into the report of series of coordinated attacks on the law-abiding residents of Arimogija by the herdsmen.

” We want them to especially look into the allegation of a helicopter that reportedly landed in the bush to drop/supply sophisticated weapons to the herders to further unleash terror on the people.

Adekunle who condemned the killings regretted that ” this has led to apprehension and mass exodus of traders and farmers from the once peaceful Arimogija community.

He described as reprehensible and barbaric the continued destruction of farm produce such as Rice, Yam, Cassava and Cocoyam by the herders.

The chairman commended the quick and timely intervention of the state government on the latest crisis aimed at returning normalcy to the community.

Adekunle appealed to the resident of Arimogija to remain law-abiding, peaceful, more vigilant and beef up their internal security to ward off any external aggression.

The state government through the Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo has waded into the matter.

Dojumo said some security agents have been deployed to maintain law and order in the community.

According to him ” I have been there, with some people, the people were so bittered about the man and his son that were killed. As they saw us they started protesting but I was able to calm them down.

” They were apprehensive of the fact that they said they saw a particular helicopter that came to the bush and they were suspecting that the helicopter brought some Fulani to the place to come and attack them probably at night.

He added that” But Mr. Governor has sent some soldiers there, as I am talking to you soldiers were patrolling the community.” (Sunday Vanguard)