One feared dead, 30 injured as Osun communities renew hostilities

The fragile peace in Ifon and Ilobu communities of Osun State was shattered on Thursday night as the two communities renewed hostilities over a land dispute resulting in the death of one person while about 30 others were injured.

It was learnt that many people had been displaced, while several houses and shops were razed from the attacks by Friday. In a video posted on social media, some residents of Ifon under the banner of Concerned Youth of Ifon Osun, Orolu Kingdom, were seen saying: “We can’t keep looking and be watching Olobu and Ilobu residents burning our shops and houses at midnight any longer.

“We, the Youth of Ifon, Orolu Kingdom, call on the Osun State government to hasten steps and actions to sort things out. We have been patiently enduring the brutal attacks and destructive behaviour of Ilobu hoodlums for far too long.

“Our peace-loving and law-abiding king, Oba Peter Oluwole Ipadeola Ilufemiloye Akinyooiye III, Olufon of Ifon Osun, Orolu Kingdom, has been calming our youths and advising restraint, despite the ongoing aggression from Ilobu.”

Meanwhile, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Leke Ogunsola, denied that Ilobu residents launched the fresh attack. Ogunsola stated: “Since Tuesday, they have been attacking our people on their farmland like Agbere, Onireke and Opapa. They attacked a chief with an attempt to kidnap him but he was rescued by farmers around.

“On Wednesday, they went to a farm at Gbere to attack one Nureni and Oseni Saluwudeen, and burnt down two motorcycles which we reported at the police station in Ilobu.

“Yesterday, in the evening, they went to a place called Oke-Ekutu; they destroyed all the houses and set one on fire. They went to Akipanroro, Ganga and Oke-Ayepe, where they burnt houses and shot our people. Mostly children and women were caught in this attack unawares.
“Our children and women are displaced now; we are extracting bullets in the palace through local means. They have brought about 30 people to the palace for us to remove the bullets in their bodies. They are still bringing more. Children and women are mostly affected.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Osun State Police Command, Akeem Adeoye, stated that policemen have been deployed to the troubled communities.

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has directed security agencies to restore peace in the warring communities, while also imploring the peace committee to revive the peace deal.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, the governor enjoined the joint security task force to step in immediately to stop the clashes. While lamenting the repeated breach of peace deals among the warring communities, Adeleke warned that his administration would take stringent action on the buffer zone between the two communities unless hostility stops immediately.