Police suspect Fulani herdsmen in Olu Falae’s abduction, deploy 50-man search party

Following the kidnap of Afenifere chieftain, Olu Falae, by unknown gunmen on Monday in Akure, the Police in Ondo State has said the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation had a perennial battle with Fulani herdsmen over incursions into his farmland.

Police spokesperson, Wole Ogodo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that it was possible the herdsmen masterminded his kidnap.

He said a large number of the hoodlums came shooting and wielding machetes as they stormed Mr. Falae’s farm, beating and inflicting injuries on workers in the farm.

“We are aware that Falae has been having problems with Fulani herdsmen and we suspect that they are the ones involved in the act,” he said.

“They came shooting. They beat up Falae and his workers. Some of the workers fled and have not returned till now, others were injured.”

Mr. Ogodo said the Commissioner of Police in the state had dispatched a 50-man search teach headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Isola Abdullahi, to find Mr. Falae and the culprits.

According to Mr. Ogodo, Mr. Falae, earlier in the year reported to the police that the Fulani herdsmen in the area were destroying his farm produce by leading their cattle across his farm for grazing.

He said the Fulani herdsmen were made to sign an undertaking to avoid the land.

Some of the injured workers, he said, had been taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has summoned an emergency security council meeting to deal with the matter.

The state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, who made this known in Akure on Monday, said the act depicted the state of insecurity in the country.

“This is disturbing and sad, especially when it involves an elder statesman like Chief Olu Falae, but I’m sure the man will be rescued very soon and the perpetrators would be brought to book,” he said.

The Secretary of Afenifere, Bashorun Arogbofa, described the development as embarrassing to the group, the state and the nation.

He however expressed optimism that the former finance minister would return home safely.