Herdsmen in Southwest region who have been facing fresh pressures to quit the forests on Thursday reacted, killing two persons when they attacked Sanusi Village in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Sources said that a farmer and a member of the vigilante group lost their lives in the melee.
In addition, the operational motorcycles and vehicle of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, were also set ablaze by the bandits.
The source said that the attack occurred when the Amotekun men and other security agents were carrying out the order of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to flush out the herdsmen who were illegally occupying the forest reserves in the State.
The Public Relations Officer of the Amotekun Corps, Mr Adebayo Ayeni, confirmed the incident in a statement.
According to Ayeni, “men of Ondo State Security Network Agency, has again made another major breakthrough in their strive to get rid of criminal elements in Ondo State.
“This cartel were piling up arms and ammunition to invade the entire State, while masquerading as herders and using the forest as kidnappers den for negotiation and ransom, illegal mining activities and cultivation of Indian hemps.
“The security outfits in conjunction with the Police, the Army and other security agencies in the State however smoked them out of the forest, after it was discovered that the bandits had killed a farmer and a member of the vigilante group in the area.
“They also went to the village where an Amotekun vehicle was parked and set it ablaze.”
Securing Nigeria For The Elections, Daily Trust Editorial of Tuesday January 31, 2023