SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have attacked a village in Saki in the Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State where a young man was reportedly hacked to death.

It was gathered that the farmer who was simply identified as Kola was tied to a tree at a village called Oke Orogun and was attacked with a cutlass.

The incident reportedly happened in the early hours of Sunday. While some residents claimed the farmer had died, one of them told our correspondent that Kola was rescued alive and was still alive as at Monday, but his condition was very critical.

The news of the attack was said to have angered some youths in Saki, who invaded a Fulani settlement and set some of the huts on fire.

Residents of the Gaa were said to have fled on sighting the angry youths coming towards their huts.

One of the sources who spoke with our correspondent in Ibadan on Monday said the killing of the Yoruba man and the attack on the Gaa had led to panic among the people of the town.

The source said, “I don’t know the real cause of the problem and who was behind the attack. There have been conflicting reports from people who claimed to have gone there. But it is true that some persons suspected to be Bororo herdsmen tied one man, Kola, to a tree in the village and attacked him with cutlass.

“Although the man did not die there as at the time he was rescued, his condition is very critical. He was taken to hospital where he was being tested but I have not heard any latest development from him today.”

Speaking on the matter, the Coordinator of the Odua People’s Congress in Oyo State, Mr Rotimi Olumo, also confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone.

He said, “One person was said to have been killed on Sunday by herdsmen and somebody was killed before that time.”

The Director of Media of the Okere Palace, Mr Akeem Olabisi, said the Okere of Sakiland, Oba Khalid Olabisi, has been making efforts to calm the people of the town down so that the incident would not lead to a more serious crisis.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Mr Olugenga Fadeyi, did not pick the call placed across to his telephone by our correspondent on the matter.

He had yet to also reply the message sent to him on the same matter as of the time of filing this report.