Suspected herdsmen kill SARS commander

An attack by suspected herdsmen has reportedly led to the death of the Area Commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Sheu Magu, in a village near Ogboro-Agbone Road, in Saki area of Oyo State on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.

According to a report by The Guardian, Magu had led squad officers to the scene of the attack to arrest some suspected herdsmen robbing travellers on the highway.

The officers were confronted after making the arrests and shot at by their attackers.

A source told The Guardian, "Saki is boiling now. Members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), police and other bravemen are in the bush as I am talking to you now, hunting for the suspected herdsmen.

"The whole thing started when the police arrested one of the herdsmen for robbery. Precisely, a village along Ogboro-Agbonle road in Saki East local government area of the state. On getting to the village, the informant that led the team was first attacked and killed. The leader of the police team popularly called Sheu was also matcheted while others escaped.

"One of those who escaped told us that they used cow to surround the police officers attacking them."

Some of the policemen escaped with varying degrees of injuries sustained during the attack.

The Police Public Relations officer (PPRO) for the state command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, reported that four suspects have already been arrested while investigation continues.

Herdsmen attacks in 2018

Cattle herders have been linked to a string of violent killings across the country in the first month of 2018.

In the most devastating attacks that heralded the turn of the new year, a series of attacks in Guma and Logo Local Government Area of Benue State between December 31, 2017, and January 6, 2018 led to the death of 73 men, women and children.

Herders have also been linked to several other attacks in Taraba, Plateau and Ekiti that have left dozens dead, and more injured.