A 65-year-old farmer, Kehinde Idowu, was killed on Sunday in Igbopupa, Yawota near Alawusa, within the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. He had gone to inspect his cassava farm around 4:00 pm when he was allegedly attacked with a machete by suspected herdsmen who wanted access to graze their cattle. The deceased was rushed to a hospital in Ogbomoso, where he died around 2:00 am on Monday.
Police confirmed the arrest of three suspects in connection with the murder. Olayinka Ayanlade, Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, stated that the suspects have been taken into custody and the investigation is ongoing. The incident occurred in a rural farming community where tensions over land use have previously flared.
The arrest of three suspects in the killing of Kehinde Idowu shows police can act swiftly when rural violence draws attention. That a 65-year-old man was attacked over cassava farmland reveals how unresolved land disputes remain a flashpoint in many rural communities. For farmers across Oyo State, the case underscores the personal risks tied to agricultural livelihoods where state presence is weak. This is not an isolated clash—it is part of a recurring pattern demanding clearer land policies.
