Seventy-two hours after the brutal attack on some communities in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, the state government has finally acknowledged the attack following an initial denial.

While admitting that the attack indeed happened, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who visited the affected community, assured residents and victims of immediate security measures to ameliorate their plight.

The attacked villages visited included Alajido and Sunday Camp, where it was reported that nine lives were lost during the Saturday attack.

The state government, through the Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters, Olugbenga Atiba, had, in a statement on Monday, debunked the attack, stating emphatically, despite evidence, that it never happened.

Atiba, who described the attack as false, stressed that it was an attempt by the sponsors of fake news to create panic among the residents of the state.

The governor, who was represented by the commander of the State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, confirmed the extent of the carnage and urged affected residents to return to their homes and farms, assuring them that their security would be guaranteed.

While disclosing that all heads of security agencies in the state had been summoned to ensure that such an attack does not occur again, he said, “On behalf of the good people of Ondo State, I commiserate with the affected families.

“We assure residents and farmers that now that the government is here, we will secure the area and bring the culprits to justice. It is a very unfortunate situation, and we pray such an incident never happens again.”

While recounting the chilling events, the Regent of Ademekun in Akure North Local Government, Princess Adelowo Adekemisola, said, “Immediately I was informed, I quickly called the attention of all security agencies and the government.”

One of the survivors, a 35-year-old farmer, Samson Joro from Taraba State, who was born on the farmland, expressed despair over the attack, stating, “My family and I have nowhere else to go. We really don’t know what happened that day or why they attacked us. At about midnight, we heard gunshots. At first, they were distant, but soon they came closer.

“Before we realised what was happening, they were here. I heard my neighbour and his wife screaming. It was the herdsmen. By the time they left, we counted nine bodies, including a man and his child.”

72 hours after denial, Ondo government acknowledges brutal attack