About 10 people were reportedly killed in a clash at the Sabo area of Ile-Ife when the ancient city was yesterday engulfed in a bloody clash between the indigenes of the town and the Hausa community.
Though no tangible reason was given for the crisis but a source said, trouble started when an Hausa man living in Sabo area of the town was allegedly accused of having love affair with the wife of an Ife man who reportedly went over-boards when he discovered what happened.
The incident said to have happened on Tuesday night degenerated into a bloody clash between the two communities yesterday leading to the killing and destruction of property from both sides.
Meantime, the Osun state government has declared a two day curfew in the entire Ile-Ife City. According to a statement from the Director of Bureau of Communication, Media and Strategy to governor Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Semiu Okanlawon; “The curfew has been compelled by the breach of the peace in the area which led to avoidable destruction of lives and properties.
‘’The curfew, which will be between 6pm to 7am, will be in force till Friday.”
While the crises lasted, dangerous weapons such as daggers, guns, clubs, arrows, cutlasses and swords were freely used in a free for all between the two warring tribes. Eyewitness revealed that, the people organised themselves into two formidable groups to match themselves strength for strength in the frightening battle.
At the battle ground around Sabo area of the town, the Hausas were said to have used freely daggers, arrow and bow to confront the Yoruba who were said to be armed with dane guns, cutlasses and other traditional weapons.
Also, several shops were reportedly looted by miscreants who took advantage of the violence that engulfed the ancient city to perpetrate the act.
Shop owners around the place briskly locked up their shops while the environment was completely deserted by both commercial and private vehicles. Residents of the area had relocated to another part of the town to escape the blood bath. Some of the persons killed in the mayhem were said to have been burnt while bonfire was also made by both sides.
A combined team of anti riot, regular and mobile policemen were on ground to maintain peace as they were seen at strategic positions, milling around the scene of the incident. Speaking on the development, Imam Muhammed Basir, the Senior Special Assistant to Osun state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Arewa matters, said; ‘’The situation has taken a very dangerous dimension because as I am talking to you, one person had been shot dead. ‘’I have notified the state governor and the police commissioner, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye and the State Director of the Department of State Security Services on the development.’’
In his own comment, the acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Koji while speaking through the command Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, said that, the security men were in control of the situation. However, soldiers from Engineering Construction Regiment, Ede were drafted to the scene of the crisis to quell further killings and destruction of property.
