Many Policemen Shot, Many Injured Over Osun Communal Clash
Seven officers of the Nigeria Police, Osun State Command, have been shot while scores of people were severely wounded in a communal clash that ensued over a chieftaincy dispute in Esa-Oke community, Obokun local government area of Osun state.
Confirming the clash which led to the whisking away of the village head, the Police public relations officer in the state, Yemisi Opalola, said seven police officers who were sent to the town have sustained serious wounds and currently receiving medical treatment.
According to her, the police raced to the trouble scene following a distress call that Esa-Oke, the country home of the late politician, Chief Bola Ige, was boiling.
She stressed that when the policemen on the rescue team got to the place, they were hit by the hoodlums’ bullets.
However, trouble started following the state governor, Senator Ademola Ademola Adeleke’s appointment of Prince Timileyin Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido Ajegunle, a neighbouring community to Esa-Oke.
The announcement was not taken in good fate by residents of Ido-Ajegunle and Esa-Oke community on the ground that the newly appointed king is from Ilesa and not from Ido-Ajegunle nor Esa-Oke who is laying claim to the town.
While Esa-Oke is laying claim to the community land, the people of Ido-ijesa from Ilesa are also laying claim to the ownership of Ido-Ajegunle.
Residents of Esa-Oke and that of Ido- Ajegunle rejected Prince Timileyin as their new oba, saying the person occupying the position of village head at Ido-Ajegunle should be upgraded to king instead of imposing an alien to them as the new oba of the place.
It was gathered that hoodlums in Police aprons and armed with guns, knives and other dangerous weapons, were engaged from Ilesa, leading to the tense situation in the town.
A middle-aged man was reportedly shot while scores were wounded during the attack by suspected hoodlums on the town.
Many shop owners, business operators, traders, students of the Osun State College of Esa-Oke and other inhabitants of the town have also abandoned their businesses and run for dear lives.
In an interview with our correspondent, Chief Adegboyega Ajiboye, the Osolu Esa-Oke stated, “The land belongs to Esa Oke, and I don’t know how they come from Ilesha to come and install an Oba there.
“On the first day they brought the Oba, they scattered everything. I was told this morning that they came in from Ilesha to come and be shooting.”
Meanwhile, military officers, both conventional and mobile police officers, officers of the National Security And Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Men of the Directorate of State Security Services, the South-West security operatives (Amotekun), among others have been deployed to the troubled communities for peacekeeping.
The Owamiran of Esa-oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran has called on residents of the ancient town to remain calm as tension mounts over land disputes.
Oba Adediran made the call while speaking with Radio Nigeria, Gold FM in Ilesa.
While calling on security operatives to restore law and order to the town, the traditional ruler urged his people to be law-abiding and allow peace to reign.
A resident of the town, who did not want his name mentioned, explained that the crisis erupted in the morning when some people allegedly from irojo quarters in Ilesa were trying to install a king for Ido-Ayegunle, a suburb of Esa-Oke town.
According to him, the resistance from the people of Esa-Oke led to the fracas, leading to the brutal killings of about four people.
As of the time of filling the report, the Owamiran palace is under attack as some cars have been reportedly set ablaze.
