The Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Monday visited regions hit by communal clashes in the Ilobu, Ifon, and Erin Osun villages, denouncing the widespread destruction of properties.
Adeleke directed the security agents to pursue the offenders.
What began as boundary disputes between the Ifon and Ilobu communities in the early hours of last Friday extended to Erin Osun on Saturday, leading the state administration to revisit the earlier 12-hour curfew and increase it to 24-hour restrictions on movement in the impacted towns.
Many houses were destroyed during the skirmishes in the three communities, prompting residents to evacuate to Okinni, Osogbo, and Ido Osun to avoid being killed.
Adeleke, accompanied by the leaders of various state security agencies who had visited Apiponroro, where numerous structures had been destroyed, was also at Olobu’s market to survey the aftermath of the skirmishes.
Also, numerous internally displaced individuals who had fled the problems were seen near Ojutu Bridge in Ilobu and along Okinni Road, with security personnel keeping a tight check on them as the governor and his crew passed through.
Speaking to journalists after touring the affected areas, the governor praised security personnel for enforcing the 4-hour curfew imposed on the communities. He also stated that the crises ravaging the affected towns may discourage investors interested in bringing their businesses to the state.
“Osun has been a very peaceful state, and these are the security agencies that have been doing it, and they didn’t disappoint me. I can assure you that we will do all we need to do to make sure you deliver on your job and have a safe environment.
“The crisis has been lingering. When I first came in, I told stakeholders of the communities that there would be no development if they continued to fight among themselves and that once investors heard of Osun, they would run away, thinking the state was not safe.
“We have put a lot of things in place that would make sure, by the grace of God, that the peace will be permanent. There will be no fighting again. I have given a directive that all the culprits should be brought to book. I am not going to take any nonsense anymore because it’s getting too much and my people are dying. It is not acceptable,” Adeleke said.
Meanwhile, the Ilobu Asake Development Union, the Ilobu community’s main group, has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct security agency heads to replace those serving in the area with competent and neutral officers.
In an open letter to Tinubu dated Monday, written by IDU President Olufemi Salako, the community urged the “immediate arrest and prosecution of the ethnic militias that invaded the Ilobu Community”.
It also urged Tinubu to direct “the Chief of Army Staff to send his men to protect the country home of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who served this great country to the last day of his life.
“Directing the Chief of Army Staff to establish a Command and Control Centre at the llobu Community to reinforce the security networks in Osun State.
“Mobilising aggressively human and material resources towards alleviating the prevailing humanitarian crisis affecting a large number of the displaced residents of the Llobu community.”
