A violent attack by herdsmen in Ibadan on the night of Friday, November 8, 2021, has left a farm owner in critical condition and his farm manager dead. The assault took place at the private farm settlement of Mr. S.O. Junaid, located in Olosan Idioya village, Ayegun Oleyo Road, Olorunkemi Area, Ibadan.
Reports from witnesses indicated that over 80 cattle were brought to the farm by the herdsmen, who were armed with guns, cutlasses, and Sanda rods. The attackers targeted Junaid, severely beating him and inflicting machete wounds that caused him to fall into a coma. His farm manager was not as fortunate, succumbing to gunshot wounds on the spot.
Despite being left for dead, Junaid, a member of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and a strong advocate for the Odua Yoruba Nation, survived the attack. His wife, who managed to flee with their children during the assault, returned with a group of people to rescue him and take him to a nearby private hospital.
An anonymous resident revealed that this was not the first time herdsmen had threatened Junaid and his workers. The attackers had previously issued warnings, targeting the fertile farmland for cattle grazing purposes. Junaid had even relocated from his farm in Igangan to Ibadan in search of safety after previous attacks.
Local sources also indicated that the herdsmen have vowed to return to the farm, seeking to capture both the land and the farm’s workers. In the wake of the attack, Junaid’s family has gone into hiding for fear of further retaliation.
This latest incident highlighted the growing insecurity in Ibadan and the wider Southwest region of Nigeria, where farmers continue to be targets of herdsmen violence. The ongoing attacks have raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures in the region, with local farmers and residents urging authorities to take swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The attack comes amidst ongoing debates about the federal and Oyo State governments’ support for open grazing, as well as concerns over the police’s ability to protect vulnerable communities from the rising tide of herdsmen violence.
