According to the protesters, “the state is sitting on a keg of gun powder due to government’s failure to decisively address the unabated killing going on in Ketu Constituency.
“We are helpless, hence our appeal to Governor Ibikunle Amosun.”
The protesters, who are members of Ketu Advancement Front, KAF; Ketu Alliance, KA and Peoples Assembly, PA, called on the governor to speedily constitute implementation committee as contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 among the Ketu people, the state government and Fulani herdsmen in the state.
Lamenting the incessant killing of people of the community, spokesperson of the groups, Ranti Ogunsola, said: “We recall that while the MoU was being signed on December 17, 2013, the herdsmen were on killing expedition in Ketu.
“We drew government’s attention to this and requested the herdsmen’s exit before signing the document to allow for the control of their arms but government felt otherwise.
“We reluctantly signed the document hoping that the implementation committee jointly agreed upon would be empowered to work quickly.
“Since October 2013, majority of the people have abandoned their farms with the hope that government would intervene decisively to create conducive atmosphere required for them to go back to the farms where they earn their living.
“We regret to note that since the signing of the MoU government has gone to sleep over the issue while the herdsmen continue to kill and maim our people.”
The groups’ statement was signed by Messrs Ranti Ogunsola for KA, Kunle Abiose for KAF and Lasisi Jelili for PA.
According to the statement, “On December 17, 2013, four Ketu people were shot by the herdsmen. Of the four, one Alade Eyo died on the spot while one Bondu Oladeyo died the following day.
“This was beside the five-year-old Ajimoh Adisa who was gruesomely murdered in her father’s farm on December 2, 2013.
“On December 6, 2014, one Fasola Simon was hacked down and shot dead on his farm.
“We are taken aback that the government is still foot dragging on the implementation of the MoU despite our reporting all these incidents to appropriate quarters.
“We can further recall that between 2000 and 2012, 23 people were sent to their early grave by the herdsmen in gruesome manners. The waiting is becoming endless with hunger ravaging our land,” the groups noted.
