The altercation happened on Monday night while three people who had been abducted by the herders were being rescued.

In the Igbaja community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, a gunfight between suspected Fulani herders and famed vigilante commander Chief Lukman Balogun, also known as “Jagun,” resulted in his death.

The altercation happened on Monday night while three people who had been abducted by the herders were being rescued.

Jagun was slain on the Ogele-Yaaru road while reportedly chasing the kidnappers who had earlier taken a well-known Igbaja resident hostage.

At the time of the incident, the three kidnap victims—whose identities have not been revealed—were still in the hands of their captors.

Reputable for his leadership in neighbourhood security, Jagun was shot amid a heated exchange of gunfire, according to local reports.

He claimed that many in the local vigilante organisation are grieving the loss of a man who put his life in danger to ensure the safety of others, and that Jagun’s death has left a huge gap in the group.

The source went on to say that locals had been demanding for increased security measures because of the recent occurrences involving suspected herdsmen, which had raised tensions in the area.

In the meantime, hundreds of community members invaded Elese of Igbaja’s castle to voice their grief and fury at Jagun’s death and the kidnapping of many residents.

Some of the demonstrators expressed that they no longer wanted Bororo people in their neighbourhood in a video that SaharaReporters was able to secure.

“Women, men, children, and the elderly are gathered at the Palace of the Elese, and we are declaring that we no longer want them in our neighbourhood.

“They have slain Jagun, the Ifelodun local commander with great authority. Since he was the one battling the crooks, they killed him, and now our lives are in danger.

Three Fulani women were reportedly kidnapped from Igbaja on Sunday, according to one of the demonstrators, and Jagun was shot and died on Monday night in a gunfight between his vigilante group and the kidnappers.

“They have driven us off our land and destroyed our farms.” They have now attacked our neighbourhood, slain Jagun, and advised us to wait. On this, we won’t be patient. We, the Yoruba people, no longer want the Bororo people to live here.

“In Igbaja, we are no longer safe. We have lost the person who was defending us. No security personnel have been dispatched here, despite the fact that the state administration sent soldiers to Babala after a similar occurrence there to drive the people out.”

He also mentioned that Tuesday was the naming ceremony for Jagun’s wife, who gave birth last week.

Oba Ahmed Babalola Arepo III, the supreme ruler of Igbaja, denounced the murder and asked the demonstrators to exercise patience, not to fight or take revenge.

However, the monarch stated that efforts are still being made to find the attackers who are escaping.

Concerns about insecurity in the area have apparently increased after two more people were reportedly abducted from Kajola hamlet early on Tuesday.

Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, the coordinator of the Kwara South Elders Security Forum, confirmed the kidnappings, stating that five individuals had been stolen and that Balogun had perished while attempting to free the kidnapped women.

He said that a combined police, military, and vigilante group task force was aggressively looking for the victims in the jungles near Igbaja and Oke-Ode.

DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, the state police command’s spokesperson, did not pick up the phone or reply to messages left for her when SaharaReporters reached her.