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Tension is brewing at Koreso in the Agogo District in the Ashanti Region following the alleged murder of a fetish priest by a 19-year-old Fulani herdsman.

Baba Aliu allegedly shot the priest, Akwasi Badu, also a farmer, at close range when Badu complained about the devastating rate at which Aliu’s cattle were destroying his farm.

Aliu was subsequently arrested on January 13, this year.

Eyewitness

According to an eyewitness account, Badu was at home last Monday when he was informed that some Fulani herdsmen had destroyed his farm. When Badu rushed to the farm, he saw Aliu’s cattle destroying his crops.

The witness said Badu confronted Aliu and asked him to move the cattle away from the farm.

He claimed that Baba refused to heed the demand leading to a heated argument between the two.

Aliu is alleged to have pulled a gun and shot Badu on the right cheek, killing him instantly.

When news of Badu’s death spread to the town and surrounding areas, the youth mobilised themselves in readiness for a reprisal attack but were prevented by the police, who subsequently arrested Aliu from his hideout.

Confirmation

Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Peter Anaafi-Mensah, said a team of security personnel was despatched to the area to ensure law and order after a Regional Security Council meeting in Kumasi.

He indicated that his outfit was collaborating with his Eastern Regional counterpart to effectively stem the growing activities of Fulani herdsmen in the two regions.

He gave an assurance that the revived “Operation Cowleg” exercise would be intensified to protect the affected communities and their farms, especially in Agogo and surrounding areas, from further attacks by the herdsmen.

Background

Agogo and its surrounding towns and villages have suffered in recent years from the criminal activities of some Fulani herdsmen who travel across the West African sub-region with their cattle in search of pastures for the cattle.

There have often been complaints of the cattle destroying the farms of the indigenes, while the herdsmen have been accused of stealing, murder and rape.