…Adeleke orders immediate intervention of security
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
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For the umpteenth time, residents of Ifon-Osun in Orolu Local Government and Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government of Osun State have renewed their hostilities and scores have reportedly been killed.
This propelled Governor Ademola Adeleke to order immediate action by security operatives to restore peace between the two warring communities.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Akeem Adeoye, also said the police has deployed its men to restore peace in the areas.
The Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Adegoke Ogunsola, alleged that the people of Ifon-Osun in connivance with Erin-Osun had started attacking Ilobu people since Monday with no fewer than ten houses burnt on Thursday night.
He said, “They started about five days ago, that is on Monday, to attack our people on the farms at Gbere Onireke, and Opapa. They attacked one Liasu Ishola who is a Baale of Opapa on Tuesday and they attempted to kidnap him from his house at Opapa but he called for help and the farmers around and the bricklayers who were helping him to rebuild his collapsed building rescued him from the hoodlums from Ifon Osun.
“On Wednesday, they went to Gbere Onireke to attack one Oseni Salawudeen and members of his family and one Prince Gbadamosi where he was working on his farm. He was shot but was lucky to survive the gunshot. We cried to the police but they said they could not go inside the bush and as a result of that, we mobilised our people to go to the farm to bring the carcass of the motorcycles that were burnt and they are currently at the police station.
“Very late in the evening yesterday (Thursday), they went to Oke- Ebutu at Ilobu, started destroying peoples’ house when they were at Tarawi in the Mosque. People ran for their dear lives and since that time, they have started burning houses in different parts of Ilobu right from Ganga community in Ilobu, Apinponroro community, Olobu market, Elentere area, and Oke-Ayepe community in Ilobu.
“The new dimension to the clash is that people of Erin Osun also joined and attacked our people, burnt about 10 houses at Oke-Ayepe and Ayedaade community, so that is the dilemma we are facing in Ilobu community presently.
“Though, we are seeing some security agencies now but they have not been able to curtail the spread of the clash. So, we call on security agencies to move in to stem the tide of the crisis.
“For now we have not seen any dead body but people sustained injury for gunshots and they are currently in the hospital,” Ogunsola said.
The spokesperson of Ifon-Osun, Akeem Adekunle, said the number of casualties could not be ascertained but scores have been killed, including a women who was burnt with her house.
He alleged that many petitions have been written to the governor and security operatives when the Ilobu people started the problem between 13th and 20th.
He said, “All of a sudden in the middle of the night yesterday (Thursday), around 11 o’clock, we started hearing sporadic gunshots again.
“They started burning our people’s houses, killing our people and all that. We are people who have entertained the disputed measure that the governor is putting in place and of course, you can do your investigation, it’s the people of Ilobu who have been threatening to withdraw from the peace committee.
“They attempted to attack the committee people and they alleged the committee leaders of different things. Trying all those things to ensure that the peace activities don’t work, and this is because they were already prepared to unleash an attack on our people.”
Asked whether there is casualty in the renewed fight, Adekunle said, “there are casualties. As I am speaking with you, I can’t ascertain the number of our people they’ve killed already and I can’t even say this is the number of the houses they have destroyed they throw a woman inside her house and set the house on fire.”
He said all the areas at the border have been affected, saying “They even burnt government-owned primary health care in the Apinponroro area.”
The post Again, Ifon/Ilobu renew hostilities, killings appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.