Arimogija, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State is now a shadow of itself after a father, son and another individual were murdered in the community allegedly by Fulani herdsmen.
The victims were identified as rice farmer, Jacob Oduche, his son, Adura and one Victor Ejeh.
Although the incident occurred last week, residents are still in a state of trepidation which became heightened on Sunday after a helicopter allegedly dropped arms for herdsmen inside a bush close to the community.
While soldiers and policemen have been drafted to maintain calm in the community, alleged non-challant attitude of the Ondo State Police Command towards apprehending the culprits also angered the residents.
The Chairman, Ose LGA, Dennis Adekunle said that the security agencies must immediately probe allegations that the helicopter dropped arms for the herdsmen to attack the community.
In a statement, he appealed to “the relevant security agencies to urgently look into the report of a series of coordinated attacks on residents of Arimogija by the herdsmen.”
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The statement further read, “We want them to especially look into the allegation of a helicopter that reportedly landed in the bush to drop sophisticated weapons to the herders to further unleash terror on the people.
“This has led to apprehension and mass exodus of traders and farmers from the once peaceful Arimogija community.”
Praising the state government for intervening in a timely manner to nip the crisis in the bud, Adekunle charged residents of Arimogija to remain law-abiding, peaceful, and more vigilant and beef up their internal security to ward off any external aggression.
However, the Ondo State Police Command dismissed the allegation of arms dropping by a helicopter as unfounded.
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Leo Tee Ikoro stated, “It is not true. The helicopter they saw that day was that of the family members that were murdered and on their way to Edo State not Arimogija in Ondo State.
“The helicopter didn’t drop or supplied weapons to anyone or anywhere as they are speculating. Both the police and soldiers were promptly deployed to the community after unknown gunmen killed a father and his son.
“The report that weapons were dropped to unleash terror on the residents of that community is baseless and untrue. We are still on the trail of the killers and would soon get them.”
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