Scores of farmers, including their wives, were wounded when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded and set four communities in lgbatoro/Ala/Imafon communities in Ondo North, Ondo state ablaze over disagreement on grazing and destruction of their farmlands.

The state police commissioner Undia Adie had swiftly deployed detectives to the troubled communities to maintain peace.

Also, officials of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been keeping vigil in the communities after the attack.

Residents of the communities destroyed which included Adejubu, Adewole, Olotin, Olondan, Jojo have relocated to other neighbouring communities following the attack by the herdsmen.

The attack took place last night when the farmers were fast asleep.

The insistence of the farmers not to allow consistent destruction of their farmland by the herders reportedly led to confrontations on several occasions.

It was learnt that the farmers at their meeting over the destruction of their farms agreed to send representatives to warn the herdsmen from further destruction of their farms.

The herdsmen reportedly mobilised to attack the Ondo communities that same night after the farmers representative conveyed their displeasure to them.

One of the farmers, Mayowa Adedeji, said that the farmers have been having issues with the herdsmen over grazing in their farm thereby destroying their crops.

He said that hundreds of the affected farmers and their family members have been rendered homeless.

“We escaped by whiskers, many of us were woken up by the smoke coming from the burnt houses. We all escaped miraculously from being killed by the well-armed herders but we sustained serious injuries while running from the fire.

Contacted, spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Ayodeji Olufemi said that the villagers have deserted the communities following the crisis.

Olufemi said that officials of NSCDC are keeping vigil over the troubled communities.

The state police Spokesperson, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro said he was yet to be briefed by the DPO in the affected area.

Vanguard