Many injured in Kwara as Fulani herders clash with farmers

Many people were severely injured on Saturday in a clash at Alapa of Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State between farmers and herders.

This reportedly resulted from a Fulani herder, Haruna Adamu, grazing on the cassava farm of one Alaparo Tunde.

Tunde and his two sons found the cattle grazing on their cassava farm and a scuffle ensued between them and Haruna Adamu who reared the cattle.

Other enraged farmers reportedly teamed up with Alaparo and his two sons while the Fulanis around also joined forces with Haruna Adamu and it became a free for all fight with cutlass and knives freely used.

Five persons according to a reliable source sustained severe injuries before officers of Kwara State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps intervened and brought the situation under control.

Spokesman for the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, confirmed the development in a statement he issued to journalists in ilorin on Saturday.

The statement read, “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 Alapa community and promptly deployed officers to the scene of the incident.

”On Saturday, based on a distress call from Alapa, our able Commandant Makinde Iskil Ayinla directed the immediate deployment of the operatives of the Agro Ranger Unit to the location and thier timely arrival put the situation under control.

Babawale explained in the statement 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 found grazing on their cassava plantation with his cattles.

“The confrontation later resulted in hot argument with the fulani and farmers engaged in bloody fight 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 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.”