Isaba-Ekiti community in Ikole local government area of Ekiti state was today thrown into chaos following the killing of two farmers by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The killing led to a massive protest by aggrieved residents and other farmers.

With chants of war songs, they made bonfires and cordoned major roads in the community.

Tribune identified both victims as Toyin Akeju popularly called ‘Jisoro’ and Daodu, a farm labourer.

Both farmers were said to have been shot dead on their farm on Friday.

A source disclosed that the families became worried after they failed to return home from the farm.

He added that the families approached the Amotekun corps who initiated a search team alongside the local hunters and the police to the farm where they met their corpses with gunshot wounds, on Saturday morning.

The source described the incident as a reprisal attack by suspected herdsmen who were challenged by the farmers for trespassing on the farm prior a day before the incident.

“The two of them went to the farm, on Friday, and they did not return throughout which makes the families report to the Amotekun corps. The Amotekun operatives went to the farm searching for them only to meet their lifeless bodies with gunshots, on Saturday morning.

“Obviously, it was a reprisal attack because, on Thursday, these particular farmers were in the farm and had issues with the herdsmen to the extent that they overpowered them and collected cutlasses from the herders.

“The herders went home and returned, on Friday to commit this dastardly act against the farmers who only challenged them a day earlier. It is a very sad situation.”

When contacted, the Amotekun corps commander, Brigadier General Joe Komolafe (retd) who confirmed the killing, said his men were already on the trail of the criminal elements.

“I can confirm that the two farmers were allegedly killed by the herdsmen after an altercation they earlier had on Thursday. We have handed over their corpses to the police while we continue with our investigations,” he said.

Komolafe advised residents to go about their normal activities without any fear, saying the corps would do everything possible to put an end to attacks by suspected herdsmen.

On his part, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Abutu noted that it was a confrontation between the farmers and people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen who were alleged to have been terrorising the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of the council area.

Abutu added that the deceased’s corpses have been recovered from the Amotekun corps and deposited in the morgue at Ikole General Hospital.