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    Lightning Kills 32 Cows in Ogun, Herder Seeks Government Help

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    It was a day of sorrow for Abdullahi Idris, a herder and father of six, after a lightning strike killed 32 of his cows in Osara, a village in the Obantoko area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    The incident happened around noon on Saturday, June 22, during what appeared to be a normal rainfall. However, residents were shocked when the thunderstorm suddenly struck and killed the cows on the grazing field. The animals were reportedly worth over N32 million.

    Speaking to reporters, Idris said, “I’ve only heard of things like this on the radio. I never believed it could happen to me. These cows are all I have. I use them to take care of my family and send my children to school.”

    He pleaded with the state government to assist him, explaining that he supports not only his children but also eight siblings through his herding business.

    While many believe the incident was a natural disaster, some locals think it could be the anger of Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder and lightning.

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    Oba Ololade Sunday, a traditional ruler in Ewekoro Local Government, said the lightning strike might be a spiritual warning. “There could be something going on in that area that annoyed Sango. If it had hit humans, it would have been a bigger disaster,” he said.

    Despite speculations, the Director of Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation in Odeda LGA, Kehinde Adeyemi, said the incident was a natural occurrence. She confirmed that only 28 cow carcasses were found and assured that public health officers were handling the burial and disinfection to prevent disease outbreak.

    “We immediately acted to contain the spread of any communicable disease,” Adeyemi added.

    The Chairman of the local Community Development Association (CDA), Osikoya Ademola, clarified that there was no conflict between herders and local residents. He acknowledged past complaints about the cattle grazing close to residential areas but said relations had remained peaceful.

    The Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, described the event as unfortunate and called on the state government to support the herder.

    “We’re not saying the government should pay for all the cows, but something must be done to ease his burden,” Elemide said. He also urged health agencies to act fast to avoid any disease outbreak.

    Chairman of Odeda Local Government, Folashade Adeyemo, also visited the site and promised that immediate action would be taken to clean up the area.

    The herder, meanwhile, continues to hope for help, saying, “This was my only means of survival. I don’t know where to start again.”

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