Brutal encounter with herdsmen decimates family, as survivor flees abroad

Abiodun Rotimi, a 50-year-old Nigerian refugee claimant currently in Canada, has detailed his harrowing experiences and the threats that drove him to seek asylum abroad. 

Rotimi, the youngest of four children born to the late Abiodun Allen Ikuelogbon from Ikoya and Mrs. Abiodun Oseneye Akinsulere from Ilutitun, Osooro in Ondo State, is speaking out about the violent attacks by Fulani herdsmen that have severely impacted his life and family.

Rotimi’s education includes Community High School, Araromi Obu in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, where he studied from 1987 to 1993, and Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, from April 2007 to March 2009. His peaceful life was upended by violence, prompting his current refugee status.

The conflict began escalating in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where several communities protested against the Fulani herdsmen due to their attacks on surrounding areas. Despite the widespread nature of these attacks and their coverage in daily newspapers, the police were unable to curb the violence. 

In response, the late Ondo State governor, alongside other state governors in Nigeria, established Operation Amotekun in January 2020. This security network, known as the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), was created to protect communities from such attacks.

However, the situation continued to deteriorate. On January 4, 2024, Fulani herdsmen launched a night attack in Arigidi Akoko, during which Rotimi’s brother joined local efforts to repel the invaders. 

This attack was particularly traumatic for Rotimi, who had previously experienced a similar assault that resulted in the deaths of four people, including a fourteen-year-old child whom he had to bury.

The violence escalated on January 6, 2024, when it was reported by The Punch newspaper that Fulani herdsmen attacked several communities in Ondo State, resulting in casualties among the Amotekun corps members. The recent attacks left Rotimi’s family in distress—his brother and mother went missing, with no ransom demands or bodies recovered.

As Rotimi continues to seek safety in Canada, his story underscores the severe impact of ongoing violence and the desperate circumstances leading to his flight from Nigeria. His situation highlights the urgent need for international attention and intervention to address the ongoing crisis and protect vulnerable communities.