Suspected herdsmen kill hunter in Ekiti

Suspected herdsmen, on Friday night, shot dead a hunter, Emmanuel Ilori, on a farm at Orin Ekiti in the Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Ilori was said to be hunting animals alongside his colleagues in the bush when the incident happened around midnight on Friday.

A hunter, who witnessed the incident, Mr Adeniyi Ajayi, said the hunters met the herdsmen, numbering about 30, in an abandoned piggery farm in the town.



The hunter said, “When we attempted to inquire what they were doing on the farm, the herdsmen opened fire on us, resulting in the death of Ilori.

“The herdsmen are kidnappers using the forest as a hideout.”

He added that that the corpse of the hunter had been taken away by security personnel for further investigation.

However, a protest broke out in the Orin Ekiti community on Saturday as news of the killing got to the town.

The protesters, who made bonfires in parts of the town, urged the Ekiti State Government to move swiftly to put the killer herdsmen under check and end their menace.

High Chief Francis Falua, who alleged that a pregnant woman was also killed by some herdsmen last year, urged Governor Kayode Fayemi “to wade into the matter before it gets out of hand.”

Falua added, “The herdsmen have been attacking farmers and feeding their cattle with our people’s farm produce.”

The Police Public Relations Officer for the Ekiti State command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, who confirmed the incident, said “a manhunt has been launched to arrest the perpetrators.”