Suspected herdsmen destroy 100 hectares of rice farm in Ondo community

Hoodlums suspected to be herdsmen have allegedly destroyed a rice plantation in Asolo village, a suburb of Uso in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The farm, owned by a group of rice farmers, was allegedly invaded by the herdsmen who were reportedly armed with AK47 rifles.

The herdsmen, according to sources, drove all the farmers away upon their arrival, even as they threatened to shoot them.

Sources revealed that a herdsman was arrested by farmers in the area last Friday along side his two cows when he led his cows to the same farm.

The herdsmen’s decision, who invaded the farm, was however linked to the arrest of their kinsman who was said to be in the custody of the farmers as at the time the herders invaded the farm.

It was gathered that Fulani herdsmen, numbering four, had on Monday stormed the farm and chased away the farmers before calling their counterparts who invaded the farm with their cows.

The farm, which is on 100 hectares land, is among the farms assisted by Ondo State government with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loans in its drive to boost rice production in the state.

One of the farmers said the state government should take drastic step to prevent attack by herdsmen.

He said the political will exercised by the Ekiti State governor gave farmers a reprieve from the heinous activities of the herdsmen.

The farmer lamented that the money and efforts invested in the farm went down the drain just within 24 hours and called for help from the federal and state governments.

He said no one has been arrested in connection with the incident, adding that the matter had been reported to the police.