Several people are believed to have died and many others injured in an
ethnic clash in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Properties worth millions of Naira were also destroyed in the violence
described by residents as a clash between Yorubas and Hausas which
reportedly started in Sabo area of the ancient town.
The crisis was said to have started on Tuesday in Sabo, and was still
raging as at Wednesday afternoon
While the exact number of persons killed has not been ascertained,
residents said at least five people were killed.
On Wednesday, some Ife indigenes were seen mobilising in their dozens,
holding instruments like machetes, knives, charms and other dangerous
equipmenst.
Soldiers and police officers were seen around the city trying to restore calm.
Some residents accused the soldiers of bias, a development which made
calming the situation more difficult.
The crisis also caused panicked as several parents on Wednesday rushed
to schools to pick their wards, with some of the children taken to the
palace of the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi.
On Wednesday, the Osun State government declared a dusk to dawn curfew
in the ancient city.
A statement by the Director of Communication and Strategy in the
office of the governor, Semiu Okanlawon, said the curfew takes effect
from Wednesday and would be sustained until Friday.
The statement also said the curfew would be between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily.
The government stated, however, that the continued breach of the peace
in the area had compelled it to declare the two-day curfew.
It said it had ensured the deployment of heavy security forces to the
area, in Ife Central West Local Council Development Area of the state.
“This is to assure all and sundry that the breach of the peace in Ile
Ife is not beyond the control of our highly mobilised security
forces,” Mr. Okanlawon said.
“To this end, the Governor of the state of Osun, upon receiving
reports of the fracas the exact cause of which is still under
investigation, has ordered deployment of adequate security forces and
is getting minute-by-minute situation reports.
“The Government therefore warns those involved in this act of criminal
breach of public peace to end it immediately as the full weight of the
law would be brought to bear on anyone arrested.”
