January 08, (THEWILL) – Farmers and herdsmen on Saturday engaged in a violent clash in Alapa community, in the Asa local government area of Kwara State.
THEWILL gathered that the trouble started after a herder reportedly led his cattle to graze on farmers’ cassava farm, resulting in argument and eventual violent clash.
It was also gathered that dangerous weapons such as cutlasses and knives were freely used in the attack.
The public relations officer of the Kwara state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Babawale Afolabi, who confirmed the development, said “it took the timely intervention of the operatives of the Agro Ranger Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kwara State Command to prevent what could have resulted in a full scale bloody clash between farmers and herders in Alapa community in Asa local government area of Kwara State.
“The Agro Ranger Unit of the corps got a distressed call from the Alapa community and promptly deployed officers to the scene of the incident.
“On Saturday 08/01/2022, based on a distress call from Alapa community in Asa local government area of the state, our Commandant, Makinde Iskil Ayinla, directed the immediate deployment of the operatives of the Agro Ranger Unit to the location and their timely arrival put the situation under control.”
He also said that a farmer, Alaparo Tunde, and his two sons, Saheed Tunde and Taofeek Tunde, from Alaparo village confronted a Fulani herder, Haruna Adamu, who was caught grazing on their cassava plantation with his cattle.
“The confrontation later resulted in a heated argument with the Fulani and the farmers, who engaged in bloody fighting where cutlasses and other dangerous weapons were freely used.
“Both Fulani herder and the farmer’s two sons were seriously injured and were later taken to a nearby hospital where they are responding to treatment.
“In the meantime, security has been beefed up in the community while full scale investigations are ongoing to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the incident and how to prevent any act of reprisal”, said Afolabi.
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