A former councillor from Ifon Orolu in Osun State, identified as Azeez, has been killed amid renewed clashes between Ifon and Ilobu communities over a long-standing boundary dispute.
Details of his death remain unclear, but a resident of Ifon, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, confirmed that Azeez died early Friday at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
The conflict, which has intensified in recent days, has led to several houses being set ablaze. Media aide to the Olufon of Ifon, Yusuf Adekunle, accused Ilobu residents of orchestrating the attacks.
“The deceased is Hon Azeez, ex-councillor. Ilobu people have made several attempts to attack us, and we reported to security operatives on different occasions. From the 13th to the 20th of this month, we’ve written petitions to the governor and also the security agencies,” Adekunle said.
“All of a sudden, in the middle of the night yesterday around 11 o’clock, we started hearing sporadic gunshots again. They started burning our people’s houses. As I am speaking with you, I can’t ascertain the number of our people they have killed already, and I can’t even say this is the number of the houses they have destroyed. They threw a woman inside her house and set the house on fire.
“They affected areas like Akinponroro, Odo Oje, and all those border areas in our community. They even burnt a government-owned primary health care center in the Akinponroro area.”
However, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Adegoke Ogunsola, dismissed these allegations, claiming that Ifon residents were the aggressors.
“The truth of the matter is that they started about five days ago, that was on Monday, to attack our people on the farms at Gbere Onireke, and Opapa,” Ogunsola said.
“They attacked one Liasu Ishola, who is a Baale of Opapa, on Tuesday and attempted to kidnap him from his house, but he called for help and the farmers around, along with the bricklayers helping him 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, as well as 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. As a result of that, we mobilized 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, they went to Oke-Ebutu at Ilobu and started destroying people’s houses. Though we are seeing some security agencies now, 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.”
In response, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered immediate security intervention to restore peace in the warring communities.
In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke urged the joint security task force to intervene swiftly and halt the violence. He also warned against the politicization of the crisis and directed security agencies to track down and prosecute the masterminds.
The governor further urged the peace committee to expedite efforts in ensuring an immediate cessation of hostilities to safeguard lives and properties.
