Two people were reportedly killed while eight people were injured in Ikare-Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko North East Local Council of Ondo State, during a violent crisis that occurred at a youth New Year carnival in the community.
    
The Guardian gathered that the carnival turned bloody following a heated arguments by youths from different quarters of the town over authorisation for the usage of the venue.
  
Ikare-Akoko had for a while experienced crises among indigenes of the town loyal to the Olukare of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Momoh and those of Owa Ale of Iyometa.
  
Sources said the firing of gunshots began on Tuesday when youths from a part of the town staged a New Year carnival.
  
A resident claimed that two lives were lost, houses and shops razed, and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
  
According to sources, youths from Iyometa prevented their counterparts from the Olukare side who had planned to organise a carnival at the venue, and the Olukare youths retaliated by stopping the New Year carnival.
   
One of the sources said: “You know Okoja is like a centre in Ikare. The Owa Ale people wanted to use the place, but Olukare youths stopped them.
  
“When the Olukare youths wanted to use the place for the carnival on Tuesday, the Owa Ale people stopped them, and there was a crisis. The shooting was so intense that the town became deserted.
“This morning (Wednesday), the youths mobilised for another attack, and the shootings continued. Many shops have been closed down, but the police have intervened.”
   
Following the crisis, socio-economic activities in the community have been paralysed, as shops were locked up and residents stayed indoors.
    
The Owa-Ale of Ikare, Oba Adeleke Adedoyin-Adegbite, told newsmen that there was no casualty and that he had informed security operatives in the town to ensure peace.
 
“When the crisis started on Tuesday and I was informed, I called the attention of the Nigeria Police and commander of the Nigerian Army in the town for peace to reign, which was achieved immediately.
“Unfortunately, on Wednesday, some gun-toting people emerged from only God knows where and started shooting sporadically in the direction of a popular junction close to my palace.”
“I have called the Nigerian Army and the Police for their intervention. I am appealing to our people, especially our youths, to shun whatever is capable of disturbing peace in the town,’’ he said.
    
Contacted, spokesperson for Ondo State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP),  Funmilayo Odunlami, said: “No casualty whatsoever had been recorded to the best of my knowledge.
 
“Security operatives had been sent to the community to return to normalcy. The warring parties have been warned to maintain peace. Police and soldiers are patrolling the town to ensure law and order within the area.”