Security operatives, at the weekend, reportedly engaged suspected herdsmen in the farm of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae at Kajola village in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The herdsmen numbering about 10, it was gathered,  reportedly opened fire on some riot policemen who were deployed in the farm on the orders of the commissioner of police in the state, Mrs. Hilda Harrison, following the invasion.

Recall that Chief Falae was abducted in 2015 by some herdsmen who were later arrested by the police and are currently facing trial.

It was gathered that the feud started after suspected herdsmen invaded the farm and destroyed a portion of it. Chief Falae was said to  have contacted police authority in the state and 15 mobile policemen were hurriedly deployed to the farm.

However, on arriving the scene, the herdsmen reportedly opened fire on the policemen and a gun battle ensued between the policemen and the herdsmen who insisted that their cows would graze on the farm.

During the gun battle, some cows were reportedly killed, while the herdsmen were said to have fled in different directions. There was no report of casualty on from side of the policemen or the herdsmen.

Falae confirmed that a portion of his farm was destroyed by the herdsmen.

He said: “I invited the police to my farm because the herdsmen have been coming to the farm everyday for several weeks and they are no longer hiding. “They come into the farm around 5 a.m. till 9 a.m. and destroy the farm, so I went to the police for protection and some policemen were sent to the farm at the weekend.

“They got to the farm and met three separate herds feeding fat on my crops, but when the police approached them they fired at the police. “The policemen went there to see if they could arrest them for trespassing and destroying farm produce. So, if the herdsmen fired at the police what would they do to me?”

Speaking on the incident, the state police spokesperson, Femi Joseph, said the policemen succeeded in driving out the herdsmen from the farm. Joseph said he was not aware of any exchange of gunfire by the police and the herdsmen.

He noted that though no arrest had yet been made, the police was investigating the situation.