Nation
Ifon-Ilobu Communal Crisis: Adeleke imposes curfew as violence escalates
The Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke has again imposed dusk to dawn curfew in the warring communities of Ilobu and Ifon Osun in a move to curb further spread of violence.
This was disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi in Osogbo on Friday.
The decision follows the fresh outbreak of hostilities in the incessant communal clashes in the two communities.
Senator Ademola Adeleke has few weeks ago, ordered the imposition of a curfew.
“His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke, has expressed unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the breakout of fresh communal crises in Ilobu and Ifon,” the commissioner said on Friday.
“To this end, the Governor has directed that the initial 10PM to 4AM curfew now be extended to 6PM to 6AM, effective today, Friday, 21st March 2025, until further notice.
“Mr. Governor has equally directed that the joint security team comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps continue to maintain their usual 24-hour surveillance to ensure zero tolerance for any act of lawlessness.”
“In addition, the Governor has directed that an immediate stakeholders’ meeting, including the Olufon of Ifon, HRM Oba Peter Oluwole Akinyooye, HRM Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, the Olobu of Ilobu, and other stakeholders from both communities, be held tomorrow, Saturday, 22nd March 2025, to discuss further resolutions of the conflict.
“Finally, His Excellency urges all sons and daughters of the two communities, as well as their traditional rulers, to follow the path of peace and harmonious co-existence. Anyone or group of persons found aiding and abetting the pogrom will be dealt with accordingly.”
On dead, many injured in renewed crisis
Meanwhile, one person reportedly died, while several others were injured during clashes that started on Thursday night.
According to the spokesperson to Olufon of Ifon Orolu, Mr. Akeem Adekunle Yusuf, the community started hearing sporadic gunshot around 11 pm on Thursday night
“All of a sudden in the middle of the night yesterday, around 11pm, we started hearing sporadic gunshots again”
“They started burning our people’s houses, killing our people and all of that. We are people who have entertained the effort that the governor is putting in place and of course, you can go ahead and do your investigation, it’s the people of Ilobu who have been threatened to withdraw from the peace committee
“They attempted to attack the committee people and they alleged the committee leaders of different things. The are trying all those things to ensure that the peace efforts don’t work, and this is because they were already preparing to unleash an attack on our people”
Speaking on whether there was casualties, Mr. Akeem said, “as I am speaking with you, I can’t ascertain the number of our people they’ve killed. 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.
Also speaking on the development, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu land, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola alleged Ifon people of masterminding the renewal of the crisis
Barr. Adegoke said, “The truth of the matter is that they started about 5 days ago, that was 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.
On Wednesday, they went to Gbere Onireke to attack one Oseni Salawudeen and members of his family, as well as one Prince Gbadamosi who 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, we mobilized our people to go to the farm to bring the carcass of the motorcycles that were burnt which is currently at the police station.
“Very late in the evening yesterday, they went to Oke- Ebutu at Ilobu started destroying peoples’ house. When they went to Tarawi, people who were in the mosque ran for their dear lives. Since that time they have been burning houses in different parts of Ilobu, right from Ganga community to Apinponroro, Olobu market, Elentere area in Ilobu to 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 agents now, they have not been able to curtail the spread of the clash. So, we call on security agents to move in to stem the tide of the crisis”
Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed immediate security operations to restore peace between Ifon and Ilobu communities, urging the peace committee to revive the peace deal.
In a statement issued over the renewed crisis, Governor Adeleke enjoined the joint security task force to step in immediately and stop the clashes.
The Governor who decried the politicization of the crisis tasked the task force to go after the ring leaders and ensure they face the full wrath of the law.
He further urged the peace committee to ensure immediate cessation of hostility to preserve lives and properties.
The Governor who lamented the repeated breach of peace deals among the warring communities warned that his administration will take stringent action on the buffer zone between the two communities unless hostility stopped immediately.
The Governor is currently holding security and political engagements to find a lasting solution to the crisis which predates the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
While contacted, the Police Public Relation Officer in Osun state, Adeoye Akeem said, the state command has deployed men to the warring communities to restore peace and order.
“in respect to resumption of hostilities in ilobu and ifon, the osun state command has deployed men to restore peace and order”
