The escalating conflict between the Ifon and Ilobu communities in Osun State claimed another life on Thursday, as a student of Westland Polytechnic, Ilobu, was reportedly shot dead amidst ongoing violence.
According to the National President of the Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Mr. Olufemi Salako, the tragic incident occurred around 11 a.m. when armed individuals, allegedly from Ifon-Osun, invaded the Ganga and Oke-Ima areas of Ilobu, indiscriminately firing gunshots.
In a statement, Salako explained that the killing happened before the imposition of a curfew by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“The people of Ilobu hereby use this medium to report to the Osun State Government, security agencies, and the world that hoodlums and invaders from Ifon-Osun have today, Thursday, 16th January, killed a student of the Department of Computer Science, Westland Polytechnic, Ilobu,” the statement read.
He further alleged that the assailants stormed the Oke-Ima area of Ilobu armed with weapons and began attacking residents and properties. Among their victims was the polytechnic student, whose identity remains undisclosed.
Salako added, “The attackers entered less than two kilometers from the Palace of the Olobu of Ilobu, a community housing eminent personalities, including the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuff. This demonstrates their deliberate intent to disrupt peace within the inner streets of Ilobu.”
Calling on the Osun State Government to hold the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Peter Ipadeola, accountable for the violence, Salako warned that the patience of the Ilobu community was being tested to its limits.
In response, the Secretary of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, Jide Akinyooye, denied the allegations, claiming that Ilobu residents were responsible for escalating the violence.
“They are not being truthful. We didn’t go to their town. Hoodlums from Ilobu today seized and destroyed three motorcycles belonging to Ifon residents,” Akinyooye stated.
He called for a thorough investigation by security agencies to identify the perpetrators, emphasizing, “Our people in Ifon didn’t attack or shoot anyone. Hoodlums from Ilobu should answer for whatever incident occurred.”
Police Yet to Respond
Efforts to obtain a response from the Osun State Police Command were unsuccessful as calls to the Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, went unanswered.
A text message sent to her also remained unanswered at the time of this report.