In a deeply troubling development that underscores the worsening security situation in parts of southwestern Nigeria, Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, the well-known Yoruba Nation activist and defender of Yoruba rights and rural communities, has publicly lamented the killing of three farmers in the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State, calling on the Federal Government to take decisive action to protect Nigerian citizens and safeguard Nigeria’s agricultural heartland.
The tragic incident reportedly unfolded in Igboho, Orelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, where three farmers — identified as Aderoju Mukaila, Olawuwo Saka, and Ojeniyi Ojebayo — were brutally attacked by suspected herdsmen armed with axes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons after they protested the destruction of their farms by roaming cattle and other criminal elements. Although the victims were rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention, they later succumbed to their injuries despite medical intervention.
Igboho’s Distress and Firm Message to Government
In a statement he forwarded to journalists and shared across multiple Nigerian media outlets, Igboho emphasised that the incident represents a continuation of recurring insecurity in rural Yoruba communities — a trend he has warned about for years without meaningful government response.
According to the activist, “On Sunday, three innocent people were killed in my town, Igboho. This is exactly what I have been warning the government about for years. Nothing has changed, and our people continue to suffer attacks while those responsible roam freely.”
Igboho, whose advocacy for Yoruba self-determination has drawn national attention, reiterated that bandits, gunmen, and rural criminal networks have infiltrated large swathes of the South-West, including parts of Kwara and Kogi states — a pattern he says highlights the failure of current security strategies to protect ordinary citizens.
He argued that the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu must urgently prioritise proactive and coordinated security interventions to avert further loss of lives, destruction of livelihoods, and potential civil unrest — calling on security agencies to deploy “effective measures aimed at addressing insecurity, most especially the deadly activities of these criminals.”
Context: Rising Rural Insecurity Across Oyo and the South-West
The killing of these three farmers must be understood against the backdrop of increasing reports of violent clashes involving suspected Fulani herders, armed bandits, and other criminal networks in rural Nigeria. Although insecurity has historically been associated most strongly with northern and central states, recent years have seen its spread southward into Oyo and other southern states, disrupting farming communities and local economies.
Farmers across Oyo State have previously voiced concerns about the invasion and destruction of farmlands, loss of livelihoods, and the threat to food security. Reports indicate that farmers in other parts of the state have suffered similar attacks, with crops damaged or stolen and lives threatened, as rural residents struggle to protect their land and produce.
This escalation of insecurity not only imperils individual farmers, but also poses broader risks to food production, rural livelihoods, and community stability. Agriculture remains a backbone of the Oyo State economy, and attacks on farmers — whether by armed herders, bandits, or loosely organised criminal groups — directly impact local food systems and sustainment of rural populations.
The Broader Debate on Fulani Herdsmen, Banditry, and Insecurity
The contours of this insecurity crisis are deeply interwoven with longstanding conflicts over land use, grazing rights, and rural safety in Nigeria. Tensions between sedentary farming communities and nomadic herders, especially within Yoruba land and across the Middle Belt and South, have periodically erupted into violent confrontations.
While not all acts of violence are perpetrated by organised bandit groups, many such attacks are attributed to “rogue herders,” criminal bandits, and non-state actors exploiting weak rural security frameworks. These armed groups operate with relative impunity, partly due to difficult terrain, limited law enforcement presence in rural corridors, and delays in effective intelligence and response strategies.
In this context, Igboho’s call for urgent Federal Government intervention mirrors wider frustrations among many local communities, civil society groups, and regional leaders who argue that government must do more than issue condemnations — it must deploy sustainable security architecture and community protection mechanisms that preempt violent incursions rather than merely reacting to them.
Calls for Action: Government, Vigilantes, and Communities
Igboho’s statement underscores the need for a comprehensive security solution: one that combines military, police, and community intelligence efforts to effectively dismantle criminal networks operating in rural areas.
He warned that continued inaction would “force residents and locals to take laws into their own hands in order to defend themselves,” a concerning prospect that could further destabilise already fragile communities.
His appeal is shared by organisations like the **Agbekoya Society of Nigeria — a historic farmers’ union and civil group rooted in Oyo’s agrarian past — which has threatened action against gunmen responsible for such killings, condemning the violence and urging authorities to protect farmers and indict perpetrators.
At the political level, similar calls have been made by representatives in other states affected by banditry, asking for enhanced deployments of security personnel, inter-agency coordination, and immediate humanitarian relief to displaced persons — further emphasising that rural insecurity is both an urgent local issue and national concern.
Conclusion: What’s at Stake for Oyo and Rural Nigeria
The killing of these three farmers in Oyo State serves as a stark reminder of how insecurity in rural Nigeria has transcended regional boundaries, thrusting even relatively peaceful areas into the crosshairs of criminals. As Nigeria grapples with complex security challenges — from banditry and insurgency in the north to emerging rural violence in the west — the need for targeted, well-coordinated, and community-centric security policies has never been clearer.
Igboho’s impassioned call to the Federal Government reflects not just the grief of a community but a demand for government accountability, protection of citizens, and a secure environment where farmers can cultivate their lands without fear. The future of rural food production, economic resilience, and social cohesion in Oyo State hinges on how swiftly and effectively authorities respond to this and similar crises unfolding across Nigeria.
If decisive action is not taken now — combining intelligence-led security operations with community engagement and structural reforms — rural communities may be pushed into cycles of fear, self-defense vigilantism, and economic stagnation — a consequence that would undermine national stability and food security alike.
0 Comments