Adeleke Imposes Fresh Curfew on Warring Osun Communities

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday, imposed a fresh curfew on Ilobu and Ifon communities, following the outbreak of another clash between the neighbouring towns.

The umbrella body for the indigenes of Ifon-Orolu in Osun State, Ifon Progressive Union, had alleged that some gunmen from Ilobu stormed the Apiponroro area shooting, causing panic among the residents.

Shedding further light on the incident, the Secretary, Board of Trustees, Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, Jide Akinyooye, explained that the latest attack on the town started in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to him, gunshots were heard in Odoje and Golden Gate areas of Ifon, noting that many residents, trying to escape from areas have been displaced.

But the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Goke Ogunsola said it was gunmen from Ifon that attacked residents of an area belonging to Ilobu.

Ogunsola, who called on the state government to protect the Ilobu community from Ifon gunmen, said he received calls from residents living along the boundary with Ifon, who alleged that gunmen from the neighbouring community had attacked the area.

“Our people living in Ganga and Apiponroro called that gunmen from Ifon laid siege to them; but those who were attacked had to protect themselves one way or the other. A meeting was convened on Monday and right at the meeting, Olufon issued a threat to us.

“We plead with the government to take decisive actions and protect us. We are peace-loving Ilobu. They are the ones attacking us,” Ogunsola said.

Giving an update on the action taken by the government to arrest the situation, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Thursday, said the curfew starts by 7pm and ends by 7am daily.

The government also said a contingent of all security personnel, comprising the Army, Police, and Civil Defence had been deployed to the warring communities to forestall further anarchy.

He said, “Following the outbreak of another communal clash between the people of Ifon and Ilobu, Osun State government has taken the following decisions aimed at ensuring lasting peace in the warring communities.

“That a 7pm to 7am curfew be imposed with immediate effect starting from today, Thursday, the 16th of January 2025 until further notice. All stakeholders in the areas are advised to cooperate with the state government to resolve the issues amicably at ensuring lasting peace.

“That an enlarged committee of stakeholders, which shall consist of the representatives of the communities, the Service Chiefs, the representatives of the State Council of Obas and other relevant bodies, be immediately constituted to resolve the issue permanently.

“Finally, anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or instigating any further violence, knowingly or unknowingly, in breach of lasting peace would be made to face the full wrath of the law, via necessary prosecution, in line with the dictates of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”