Residents of Soka, Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, where scores of decomposing human bodies and captives were discovered in a forest about a fortnight ago, have called on the security agencies to beam their search light on the Fulani herdsmen, who were seen grazing their cattle side-by-side the horror camp.
Police Commissioner in the state, Mohammed Ndabawa, on Tuesday said that a team of forensic pathologists from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja visited the crime scene a day earlier and that investigation must be completed before the camp would be demolished.
Some of the residents said that the police must not ignore a crucial connection in their investigation and wondered why it had yet to speak on the activities of the herdsmen or invite anyone of them for questioning, whom they described as possible accomplices.
“The herdsmen lived there and made a camp just outside the building where the captives were chained and maltreated. They grazed their cattle over the decomposing bodies every day and they shared the same environment with the alleged kidnappers.
“Why did they feel comfortable with the sight of these bodies and why is the police quiet about this possible link to all the activities and murder at the site?” asked Mr. Olabimtan Isaiah, one of the residents.
“We saw more of the herdsmen in the area and especially along the Ogunpa River bank where they rear their cattle. Most of the bodies and the building were found along that river”, added Isaiah.
Also raising eyebrows on the possible involvement of the herdsmen was a member of a church opposite the river, Supo Olawumi, who said the police should involve the residents in their investigation.
“It is necessary for the police to listen to the people living here. They have been saying a lot of things that could help the investigation but I doubt if they are being taken seriously. Instead, they have arrested many youths and charged them to court for public disturbance”.
