House Speaker laments herdsmen attack on Ekiti community
House Speaker laments herdsmen attack on Ekiti community
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Kola Oluwawole, has decried Friday’sattack on Oke Ako in Ikole Local Government Area of the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The attack, reportedly carried out at about 9.30pm, was said to have met members of the community unaware, resulting in the death of two victims and hospitalization of four others who sustained gunshots and machete cuts.
Oluwawole, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, on Sunday, lamented that carrying out unprovoked attack on members of a law-abiding community portended grave danger for the nation’s already fragile security setup.
He said: “This incessant attacks by herdsmen on members of their host communities is becoming an embarrassment to the Federal Government, if it does not know.
“A couple of months ago, the House of Assembly received a petition from some leaders of the Oke Ako/Irele communities about activities of some foreigners who settled with them in illegal felling of trees. The swift action of the House over the matter prevented breakdown of law and order.
“Now, it is Fulani herdsmen that have invaded the communities to massacre their supposed hosts. Much as the people of Ekiti State remain friendly and receptive to visitors, we shall condone unnecessary trampling on the rights of our people.”
Oluwawole, however, appealed to members of the affected community and the state in general to remain law-abiding, as government would do all within its power to get to the root of the matter and prevent a repeat of such attack.
He said: “I heard that the matter has been reported to law enforcement agencies and it is being handled already. I wish to appeal to the people not to attempt to take laws into their hands, as the government will do everything possible to get to the root of the matter.
“The legislature is liaising with the state government to come up with a firm action that will prevent the occurrence of such evil in the future. We, as a people, are ready to co-habit with our visitors, but we will not allow unscrupulous elements and criminals to take advantage of that to truncate the peace in our land.
“While I, on behalf of the House of Assembly, commiserate with families of the affected, we are again calling on the Federal Government to take a decisive stand on the mindless killings being perpetrated by the herdsmen.”
