‘A Voice Told Me to Kill Him’ — Farmer Confesses to Murdering Herder in Ogun
Ogun Farmer Confesses to Killing Herdsboy After Oath Threat in Roro Village
Tension gripped Roro village along Mile 8 in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State when a cattle rearer raised alarm that his son had gone missing after being chased away from a farmland.
As search efforts intensified, rumours of a possible Fulani herder reprisal began to spread through the community. Hunters, police officers, and villagers immediately launched a joint operation to trace the boy. His body was later discovered in a shallow grave, sparking outrage and fear.
Oath Compels Suspect’s Confession
PulseNets learned that community leaders resolved that everyone in the village would swear an oath to reveal the truth within seven days. But before the oath-taking, a farmer and hunter identified as Taiwo Amos confessed to killing the herdsboy.
Speaking during interrogation, Amos, a widower and father of three, admitted that he acted under what he described as a sudden compulsion. He said:
“After returning from church that Tuesday, I decided to check the trap I had set on my farm. When I arrived, I saw the boy tending cattle alone. A strong thought came to me, telling me to kill him, and before I could resist, I rushed at him and struck him down. After that, I saw the cows scattered everywhere.”
When asked if the boy or the cattle had destroyed his crops, Amos insisted that neither had offended him.
“To be truthful, he did nothing to me and his cows never touched my crops. I can’t explain what came over me,” he told PulseNets.
Amos explained that his eventual confession was driven by fear of the oath.
“The leaders said the truth would come out within seven days if we all swore. I didn’t want innocent people or my children to suffer curses. So I went to my fellow hunters and admitted it was me before they handed me over to the police.”
He further revealed that he mutilated the body because he was too weak to dig a full grave.
“I cut off his legs because I was tired of digging. No one helped me to kill him or bury him. I lied earlier that people told me to shoot a thief, but that was false. I’m telling the truth now. I beg the government to forgive me. This is my first offence.”
Baale Consults Sango for Justice
The Baale of Abule Akin in Itoko Mile 8, Chief Fatai Akande Adebayo, told PulseNets that he had to seek spiritual intervention when early searches failed.
According to him, hunters had combed the bush three times without success.
“It was then I decided to consult Sango, the god of thunder. That same night, the suspect confessed to another hunter. Although the incident happened in Abule Roro, the police from Kemta and Eleweran came to us for assistance,” the Baale said.
PulseNets obtained that the wandering cows eventually strayed into Abule Akin after the herdsboy was killed, prompting residents to alert security authorities.
A Dark Reminder of 2020
This tragic episode revives memories of a similar case on April 22, 2020, in Gbagba Elewure, Odeda LGA, where a 45-year-old farmer, Kolese Womiloju, and his 25-year-old son, Taiwo, murdered a herdsman, Abubakar Usman. Police at the time reported that the victim had been immobilised with a charm ring before being hacked and dumped inside a disused well.
Police Assures Calm
Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, confirmed to PulseNets that peace had returned to the affected community.
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He said investigators recovered both the dane gun and cutlass used in the crime, adding that the body had been exhumed and reburied at the family’s request.
“I want to assure the people that there is no cause for alarm. The situation is calm, and tactical teams have been deployed for patrols. We have met with farmers, herders, and leaders, and they all pledged that there will be no further crisis. Even when wrong is done, residents must follow lawful channels and avoid jungle justice,” Ogunlowo told PulseNets.
The suspect remains in custody while investigations continue.
