Some yet-to-be-identified assailants on Wednesday reportedly killed a 65-year-old farmer, Bashiru Akinlotan and set his cocoa farm ablaze in Igangan community, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Akinlotan, a native of the town, was reportedly strangulated to death near his cocoa plantation on Wednesday, Reporters At Large gathered.
This is coming few days after the Commandant of the Oyo State Security Network Agency otherwise called Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), declared that the Oke Ogun and Ibarapa zone of the state was safe for residents.
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There have been reported cases of killings, rape, maiming and massive destruction of farmlands by suspected criminal herdsmen in the area. This heralded a crisis which spurred a Yoruba rights activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho, to issue a quit notice to the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Salihu Abdukadir, and all killer herders in Ibarapaland recently.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident with an indication that investigation had since been launched to unearth both the immediate and remote causes of his death.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo Command, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, said that there was no mark of violence on the body of the dead farmer, adding, “The family members confirmed that there were no traces of gunshots or piercings on the man’ body.
“They did not allow the police to put the body of the dead farmer in the morgue for autopsy to be carried out on him. They demanded the immediate release of his body in order for them to bury him according to Islamic rite.”
The body of the farmer was committed to the earth on Wednesday night by family members and other sympathisers in Igangan community.
