Ogun farmer alleges herdsmen attack after clash over crop destruction

My name is Mrs Yusuff Fasilat. I am a farmer and I lived at No. 72 Seriki Street, Deeper Life, Oloke Express Road, Ogun State, Nigeria, with my husband, Mr Yusuff Quudus, born on 11 June 1967, and our children, Quadri Babatunde Yusuff, born on 29 September 2001, and Quareeb Olatunji Yusuff, born on 4 December 2003.

My family and I jointly operated a large farm around the Oloke area of Ogun State. For some time, Fulani herdsmen had been bringing their cattle onto our farmland. Their cattle destroyed portions of our crops and caused significant damage to the farm.

The week before 28 August 2026, the herdsmen brought their cattle onto our farm after we had left for the evening. When we returned the following morning, we found that a large portion of the farm had been damaged. Cassava plants had been uprooted and destroyed, and other farm produce had been damaged by the cattle.

On the morning of 28 August 2026, my husband, my children, our farm assistants and I were at the farm when we saw the herdsmen return with approximately 50 cows.

I was angry and confronted them because they had previously entered our farm and destroyed our crops. I challenged them about bringing their cattle onto our farmland again. An argument followed, and the situation became confrontational.

We reported the matter to the local police. Police officers accompanied me to the farm. However, by the time we arrived, the herdsmen and their cattle had already left the area.

Despite the police intervention, the herdsmen continued to threaten me. They said that they would return for me. I became frightened because I believed that their threats were connected to the confrontation that had taken place earlier that day.

Later that night, after we had returned home, there was a loud and frightening banging on our door. We could also hear neighbours shouting that the Fulani herdsmen had returned and had brought reinforcements.

The men were aggressive and threatening. They shouted and asked, “Where is that woman that shouted at us and threatened us with police to arrest us with our cows in the morning?”

From what they were saying, I understood that they were specifically looking for me because I had confronted them at the farm and had gone with the police to the farm earlier that day.

I became extremely frightened and believed that my life was in danger. I tried to escape through the back door. As I was fleeing, I heard sporadic gunshots. I ran away from the house and eventually hid inside a drainage, lying flat so that I would not be seen.

The men searched the area while I remained hidden. I was terrified and afraid to make any noise because I believed that if they found me, they could kill me.

While I was hiding, I could hear the men attacking the house. I could also hear shouting, commotion and gunshots. My husband and children were taken away while I remained in hiding.

I felt helpless because I could not come out of hiding without putting my own life at risk. I did not know what had happened to my husband and children or whether they were safe.

While I was hiding, I also heard one of the men make a disturbing comment to the effect that “her own was too much.” This frightened me further because, in the circumstances, I believed they were referring to me and the confrontation I had had with them earlier that day.

I remained hidden because I was afraid that the men were still looking for me. I was deeply frightened and did not know whether they would find me or what they would do to my family.

On 29 August 2026, at about 10:45 a.m., I went to the police station and reported what had happened to me and my family. The matter was subsequently referred to the DCB for further investigation. An entry was made by Inspector Biobaku Rasheed.

I remain afraid because of what happened on 28 August 2026 and because I believe that the men who came to our home were specifically looking for me following my confrontation with them at our farm.