A farming community in Ogun State has been left in shock after a local hunter and widower, Taiwo Amos, confessed to murdering a young herder and burying him in a shallow grave.
The incident, which occurred in Roro village, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, initially sparked fears of reprisal attacks when the herdsboy was declared missing. Police, hunters, and villagers launched a search before Amos admitted to the killing.
According to his confession, the farmer claimed he was compelled by an inner voice to carry out the act. “I came back from church, went to check my trap and saw the boy. A thought just came to my mind, telling me to kill him. I hurriedly went after him and killed him,” he told investigators.
Amos denied being provoked, insisting the boy had not wronged him and that the cattle had not destroyed his crops. He later admitted cutting the victim’s legs because he was too tired to dig a full grave. He said he confessed out of fear after community leaders threatened to invoke an oath that would expose the killer within seven days.
Local chief, Baale Fatai Akande Adebayo of Abule Akin, revealed that when searches failed, he sought help from Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder. That same night, Amos confessed to fellow hunters before being handed over to police.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, confirmed the arrest, saying the suspect is in custody along with the weapons used — a dane gun and cutlass. He assured residents that calm had been restored, with tactical patrols deployed to prevent further tension.
“The situation is calm. The shallow grave was found, the corpse has been properly buried, and all stakeholders — farmers, herders, and leaders — have agreed to peace,” Ogunlowo said.
The case has reignited conversations around mental health, rural justice systems, and tensions between farmers and herders in parts of Nigeria.
