Some armed men have invaded the agrarian community of Kuseru farm settlement in Odigbo local government area of Ondo State, leaving two persons dead.
The attack which created palpable tension in the community was said to be a reprisal attack.
It was gathered the two masked armed men tried to kill Abejoye but ran away to avoid being apprehended when their victim raised the alarm and was rescued by some farmers.
In a reprisal, a group of armed men invaded the community in the middle of the night, shooting sporadically, killing one of the councillors representing the area and a local vigilante member simply identified as Kayode.
The incident reportedly caused panic in the area, and many residents of the community fled their homes as the hoodlums left many injured, and set houses and shops on fire during the attack.
The incident was reported at the police station while security operatives were deployed to the community to restore normalcy and apprehend those behind the destruction and killing in the community.
Special Adviser on Security Matters, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed the attack said it was a reprisal attack, saying a vigilante member was killed during the attack.
Adeleye said: “We are suspecting a reprisal attack of some Ikale youths who mobilised themselves and launched an attack on the unsuspecting Osun/Oyo farmers.
“There is a Councillor representing Oyo/Osun axis that was killed in the fracas. A vigilance member and not Amotekun was killed. The corpses have been deposited at the hospital.
“Amotekun, Police and the Army maintained vigilance overnight in the area to ensure peace returns. The attackers destroyed more of the farmlands.”
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmi Odunlami, said a woman was shot on her farm on Saturday afternoon by two masked men who tried to kill her.
She said security operatives had been deployed to the community to restore peace and disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Oyeyemi Oyediran had visited the community and ordered the arrest of those involved in arson and killings in the community.
Odunlami explained that “on the 9th December 2022, a case of attempted murder was reported at Kajola Division, that a woman Julianah Alaba Abejoye ‘f’ was shot by two masked men on her farm at Ogbontiba via Kuseru with a locally made double-barrelled gun and escaped but the woman sustained injuries on the arm and thigh and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
“On the 10th December 2022, at about 1000hrs, in what seemed to be a reprisal attack, Aiyetoro boys in their numbers attacked Kuseru Village, set ablaze motorcycle parks, killed livestock, destroyed motorcycles and cut down plantain trees.
“Police contingents were quickly dispatched to the scene. While on patrol of the villages, corpses of vigilantes were met at the Palace of Bale of Kuseru village who were said to have been allegedly ambushed and killed by the invaders.
“But normalcy has returned to the village as tactical teams of the command have been deployed to aid the activities of Policemen in the area.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyediran visited the scene, urged all parties involved to sheathe their swords and allow police carry out a thorough investigation on what really happened.
“He further ordered that the Area Commander and DPO of the area ensure all culprits involved in the arson and murder be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”
She said that “the CP is also using this medium to allay the fears of the residents around Kuseru, Aiyetoro and Ago Alafia and Ondo State at large that nothing untoward will happen to them as adequate security is emplaced to ensure a hitch-free celebration during this period.”
