BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Residents of crisis-ridden Ilobu and Ifon-orolu communities in Osun State have been fleeing their various homes to seek protection of their lives elsewhere as the land conflict ravaging the areas has worsened.
There has been a prolonged battle between the two communities over land dispute which had in the past claimed lives and property.
Few weeks ago, leaders of Ifon-orolu raised alarm over a visit to some parts of the disputed land by a retired soldier whose delegation was led by the people of Ilobu who were alleged to be planning to site a project on the land.
The crisis took a dangerous dimension on Wednesday when one person was reportedly killed and several others were injured just as many houses and property were burnt.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Yemisi Opalola, no fewer than four policemen sustained gunshot injuries after sole hoodlums ambushed them in the communities and opened fire on them.
This caused the review of the curfew earlier imposed by the state government to forestall escalation of the crisis.
Combined security operatives have now been deployed to the troubled zone to ensure law and order while a government delegation was led to the area by the State Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi.
In an interview with journalists who visited the area, the Deputy Governor said the government may declare 24 hours as against dusk to dawn curfew earlier declared to bring the situation under total control.
Adewusi also disclosed that the government would call a meeting with leaders of both communities towards finding a lasting solution to the crisis.
He said, “Security chiefs have moved into action and they are taking charge of the situation. The situation has been brought under control and whatever the government has to do, we are not leaving any stone unturned.
“All the Obas and chiefs in the area will be meeting his Excellency today (Thursday) and I can’t preempt what is going to happen. There would be a 24-hour curfew, there is going to be a total shutdown of the areas. It will be effective, it is like the other one was not effective but the security chiefs here have assured us that they are going to take charge and there will not be any movement at all in both communities.”
Reacting to how people are moving out of their houses and leaving the warring communities, Adewusi said, “It is an eyesore, we have been there, all these people that are moving out of the place, it is because of fear, and the security chiefs have assured that there is no more cause for alarm and the situation will be brought under control.”
Meanwhile, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, announced on Thursday that the state government has taken over the land till further notice.
Adeleke, while speaking at the Ipade Imole, maiden edition of a quarterly interactive session with the state governor in Osogbo on Thursday, said he had sought military intervention from the Chief of Army Staff and that soldiers had been deployed to the communities.
The governor warned indigenes of the communities to give peace a chance and should not allow those he described as saboteurs to cause mayhem among them.
He lamented the severe level of destruction of houses and killings in the communities, saying he did not sleep throughout Wednesday night in a bid to quell the crisis.
