Korede Abdullah in Lagos
A fresh violence broke out in the Ifon and Ilobu communities, leaving two people dead and many others severely wounded in a renewed land dispute. The crisis escalated on Thursday night when heavily armed hoodlums launched attacks using firearms, charms, cutlasses, and clubs.
According to reports, the attackers clashed at the Odo-Oje boundary, shooting indiscriminately and setting fire to Olubuse Filling Station.
A couple riding a motorcycle was also brutally beaten before their bike was burnt. In fear, residents abandoned their homes and businesses and fled as the violence continued unchecked.
Community leaders gave conflicting accounts of the situation, blaming each other for the outbreak. Chief Adegoke Ogunsola, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, alleged that Ifon residents had provoked the conflict by attacking an Ilobu indigene attempting to rebuild his home.
He also claimed that the Ifon people assaulted a couple and set their motorcycle ablaze. On the other hand, the Chief Press Secretary to Olufon reported that attackers had invaded Ifon-Odun, destroying a primary health center and opening heavy gunfire on residents.
While acknowledging casualties, he could not confirm the exact number of deaths.
Police sources later confirmed that the remains of burnt motorcycles were in their custody.
In response, Governor Ademola Adeleke ordered immediate security operations to restore peace, directing a joint task force to intervene and apprehend the ringleaders.
He condemned the politicization of the crisis and warned that the government would take strict action if hostilities persisted. He also urged the peace committee to revive previous peace agreements to protect lives and property.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command assured residents that security personnel had been deployed to the troubled zone to restore order.
As tensions remain high, both community leaders and government officials continue to seek lasting solutions to the long-standing conflict.
