BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
No fewer than five residents of Ilesa, Osun State have been killed during some clashes that broke out between two rival cult groups and land grabbers, popularly known as ‘Omo-Onile.’
The chaos started on Friday around 12 noon after some youths suspected to be cult members stormed a new building that was being roofed at Omi-Tuntun area of Ilesa and demanded for money from workers in the site.
Sources said that the hoodlums, who also operate as land grabbers, were resisted from extorting workers on the site by another gang of suspected cultists said to be relations of the house owner.
A clash broke out and a 28-year-old suspected cultist simply identified as Taina was overpowered, dragged to the bush and hacked to death by the gang that was protecting the new building.
It was gathered that the hoodlums regrouped later on Friday night and revenged the killing of Tiana.
The group, led by one Enuose, stormed Ijoka Area of Ilesa and killed an opponent, one Segun, aged 35.
Sources informed The Point that, in a bid to maim their other opponents, an innocent woman was shot dead by the warring thugs on Friday night. The female victim was on her way to attend a vigil.
This development threw the ancient town into pandemonium as traders, motorists and other residents scampered for safety as the hoodlums were shooting sporadically while trying to kill one another.
Residents, especially in the affected areas, hurriedly shut their doors while the neighborhood looked desolated during the melee.
The rampaging youths resumed their hostilities on Saturday morning and ended up killing two innocent residents.
Wielding dangerous weapons such as guns, axes, cutlasses and charms, the cultists, while chasing themselves on Saturday, shot dead two innocent persons at Sabo Area and Ilerin-Ijesa areas of the town.
It was gathered that the corpses were taken to the morgue of Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, by the Police.
The police was said to have launched intensive manhunt for the suspects while some patrol vans of Ijamo and Ayeso Police Divisions in Ilesa were seen patrolling the town in a bid to restore peace and order.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said she would get back to our correspondent for details. As at the time of filing this report, she was yet to fulfill her promise.
