The Oke Ode Local Government Area of Kwara State was in mourning as Fulani herdsmen attacked the community, in which a farmer, Ayeni Adebowale Oluwaseyi narrowly escaped from the bandits with high degree of injuries.
Kwara State has been in the news recently as groups like Lukarawa terrorists and Fulani herdsmen have become non-state actors who have been terrorizing the people, most especially helpless farmers.
On the 28th of September, 2025, the Fulani herdsmen attacked the Oke-Ode community, and people were killed, in which the Ayeni’s house was invaded, and the entire farmland was attacked.
Ayeni Adebowale Oluwaseyi narrowly escaped death and lost all his
valuables.
In the course of the attack, he lost his brothers who worked with him on the farm, and the whereabouts of his immediate family are still unknown as of time of press.
The incident happened on the 28th of September,2025.
Adebowale said, “These Fulani herdsmen came to his farm and destroyed his crops with their cattle. While he confronted them, they attacked him, and his brothers, who were also on the farm, were killed by the bandits.”
The inadequate response to security-threatened area is still in question, as more effective measures are still required in the Oke-Ode community, as the same bandit group attacked a travelling bus going to Kogi in which all the passengers were ambushed and kidnapped.
Adebowale, being a vocal leader and well-respected, successful farmer took it upon himself, with the support of a group of youth who are angry and not happy with the situation decided to protest to the head of community to sanction the Fulani settlers living in the community and which caused a backlash between the two ethnic groups.
Living in the community made him a target for herdsmen.
He has been declared wanted and has been on the run ever since the incident occurred.
Ayeni Adebowale Oluwaseyi noted that the attack has triggered a wave of people living in the community fleeing, with many residents moving to nearby cities such as Ilorin in search of safety
He disclosed that the once a vibrant hub, the town’s central mosque now records barely few worshippers at Friday Jummah prayers, a sharp decline from the multitude it welcomed before the tragedy.
He said the target of farmers is not only restricted to Kwara State alone as most rural communities in other states face the same challenges while urging government at all levels to find lasting solutions to insecurity across the nation.
