Lightning struck on Saturday and killed 15 cows in Ikogosi community in the Ekiti West Local Government area of Ekiti State.
The Asaoye of Ikogosi-Ekiti, Chief Ayo Ademilua, described the incident as a natural occurrence which was strange in the town.
Narrating the incident to journalists on the telephone on Sunday, Ademilua said the incident happened at the Ikogosi Warm Spring site along Ipole-Ekiti Road.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ikogosi Warm Spring is a notable tourism and recreational centre where warm and cold streams met in Ekiti.
The Ikogosi high chief said the lightning struck during a downpour between 4pm and 6.02pm on Saturday.
“The whole town shook when the lightning struck. Later, some commuters coming into town and those returning home from their farms saw Fulani herders lamenting that it was the lightning that killed their cattle,” he said.
Also speaking on the incident, the Onikogosi of Ikogosi Ekiti, Oba Abiodun Olorunnisola, said the herders made efforts to sell the dead cows to residents.
The monarch said he had reached out to his colleague in Ipole Ekiti, Oba Oladele Babatola, on the need to warn residents against consuming such a desecrated meat.
“The two of us have alerted our subjects that there was an attempt to commence the sale of the cows and we are making concerted efforts to discouraged residents from buying them,” he said.
The monarch, however, called on government to evacuate the carcasses of the cows to prevent spread of communicable diseases in the area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr Sunday Abutu, said the incident was yet to be reported to the police because it was a natural occurrence.
KanyiDaily had also reported how Kogi State Government placed a ban on the sale of beef in the state, following the death of several cows while grazing in Lokoja.