Gunmen kill 15 in overnight attack on Oyo community

At least 15 people were allegedly killed when gunmen attacked Igangan, a town in Oyo state located in Ibarapa area of the state.

The area has been under the spotlight for more than five years with clashes erupting intermittently between farmers and herders, resulting in deaths and life-changing injuries.

In a recent development, two Fulani leaders in the town, Seriki Saliu and Iskilu Wakili were ejected from Ibarapa land by local security outfits after they were accused of conniving with kidnappers who abducted some of the indigenes of Ibarapa area for ransom. Some of the kidnapped victims were killed even after ransom was paid.

Abiodun Adegoke, a youth leader in Igangan, who spoke to TheCable early on Sunday, said gunmen suspected to be of Fulani origin invaded the town late on Saturday, burning fuel stations, houses, shops and the palace of Oba Lasisi Adeoye, the monarch of the town. He said the armed men operated till the early hours of Sunday.

”You need to come to Igangan now to see the destruction here and ruins off the town after the attack. Around 11 pm on Saturday, Fulanis in large number stormed our community and began to burn all petrol stations. They burned shops, houses and the palace of our king. They burnt several houses too,” he said

“They killed 10 people and injured many others. They used sophisticated weapons in the attack. But their activities were later repelled by men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (codenamed Amotekun) and youths in the town. Four of the attackers were killed while others fled. As I speak to you, there are dead bodies in front of me.”

Effort to speak with Adewale Osifeso, the police public relations officer, Oyo state command was unsuccessful as his mobile telephone was switched off. A message sent to the line was not responded to as of the time of filing the report.