Many feared killed in Oyo Amotekun, herdsmen clash

Many people are feared dead in a clash between men of the Western States Security Network popularly known as Amotekun and some herdsmen at Aiyete in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

At least seven houses were said to have been torched during the clash in which many people also reportedly sustained gunshot injuries.

Several people whose houses were razed were said to have been rendered homeless.

The clash was said to have started at Okebi village on Saturday morning but the cause of the clash could not be immediately ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Some residents of the area said one Alhaji Usman Okebi and his two sons were killed.

They could however not say exactly what led to the bloody clash.

A source said the clash was between the Amotekun corps and Bororo (Fulani) people.

The source also claimed many people were killed but could not ascertain the number.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, said the DPO at Aiyete Police Division had moved to the community to assess the situation.

The Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd), when contacted said he was on his way to the place to ascertain what happened.

He said, “I heard the same thing and I am on my way there now.”

The clash is coming about 24 hours after the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), gave a 72-hour ultimatum to the Oyo State Government to set up machinery for the reorientation of operatives of the Amotekun.

The ultimatum was on the heels of series of alleged excesses of some of operatives since the Amotekun corps inauguration by Governor Seyi Makinde in the state.

The students’ body, in a statement jointly signed by the association’s chairman in the state, Oluwafunmbi Opakunle; General Secretary, Ojetola Babatunde; Public Relations Officer, Adeleke Quadri, stated that the Amotekun corps had shown that they needed additional orientation on modern security and their relationship with the masses.

The statement said, “We’ve written on several occasions to inform the Oyo State Government and the entire populace of the state on the excesses of the just commissioned Western States Security Network, Amotekun Corps, but it seems a mere propaganda to many and an attempt aimed at undermining the effort of the state government on tackling the rampant insecurity uprising in the state.”