Oyo community buries farmer killed by suspected herdsmen
Igangan community was thrown into mourning on Saturday while a prominent farmer, Dr Fatai Aborode, was being buried in his uncompleted house along Apodun Road, Igangan, Oyo State.
Aborode, the Chief Executive Officer of Kunfayakun Green Treasures Limited, was killed near his farm along Apodun village, Igangan, by suspected herdsmen.
It was gathered that the farmer and his manager, Bolanle Olanrewaju were waylaid around 5pm on Friday while on a motorcycle on their way home.
Olanrewaju said, “Two gunmen came out of the bush and forced us to stop. Two others blocked us at the back to ensure we did not escape. Behind us was another motorcyclist with his wife on board. They were also stopped and we were all ordered to come down from the motorcycles.
“They didn’t manhandle the rest of us except for my boss. At first, we thought that they were kidnappers so he asked if they wanted money. Meanwhile they took me about 500 metres away from where my boss was taken. The other man and his wife were between where i was and where my boss was held down.
“One of them kept watch on me while they were dealing with my boss. As he was being cut with machetes, i heard the other man who was on the motorcycle with his wife pleading that they should not kill my boss but they turned deaf ears to him.
“At a point, the man who held me down, left me to meet the others so i had the opportunity to run away. It took long for me to get to town. I couldn’t make a distress call as i was not with my telephone.
“On getting back, he had given up the ghost. We got to the farm around 9am and arrived at the spot around 5.20pm. We didn’t have any altercation with the Fulani. They were labourers on the farm doing clearing works. The plan was that after getting to town, i will take food to the labourers on the farm.
The deceased’s uncle, Moshood Oguntowo, who described his death as a big loss to the family and the entire community, called for investigation into the incident.
Seriki Saliu, the Seriki Fulani in Igangan, who described Aborode as a nice man, said, “Who would ever wish a fellow man to be killed in a brutal manner like that? He was nice to the Fulani community. He used to engage some of our people during harvest. Only recently, he gave us salt to share among our people”.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed the incident, said in a statement that the victim was shot by four gunmen.