Gunmen shoot two people as Osun communities renew hostility

The ongoing land dispute between Ifon and Ilobu communities in Osun State escalated again on Tuesday with reports of a shooting. Two persons were allegedly shot by gunmen, marking another violent chapter in the conflict over a contested boundary.

This latest incident follows previous clashes in 2023 and early 2024 that resulted in fatalities, property damage, and displacement. According to Jide Akinyooye, national secretary of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, the attack was carried out by gunmen from Ilobu, leaving two residents of Ifon injured and others displaced.

He disclosed that “while two people have sustained gunshots, this brazen disregard for human life and the directives of the Osun State government and security agencies is unacceptable.”

Mr Akinyooye stated: “Despite the efforts of the Osun State government to resolve the land dispute at the Opapa buffer zone, the Ilobu community has continued to engage in violent clashes, putting the lives of innocent people at risk. We urge the Osun State government to take immediate action to address this situation and ensure that those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to justice.

“We want to put it on record that despite the fact that our people in the affected are still under siege; Olufon of Ifon-Orolu, Oba Peter Oluwole Ipadeola, has continued to maintain that his subjects should not take laws into their hands, “he added.

However, while responding to Akinyooye’s claim, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Leke Ogunsola, accused the residents of Ifon-Orolu of reigniting the fresh crisis, stressing that they launched an attack on Ganga Akinpororo community near the golden gate in Ilobu and destroyed properties, forcing the people to flee from the scene.

According to him, “around 12 noon gunmen from the Ifon-Osun community invaded the Akinpororo community. Some properties owners came out to defend their properties.

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“So, I don’t know any other information rather than the gunmen from Ifon-Osun, mostly war mercenaries, came shooting heavily, so that people ran for their lives. Some courageous people stayed to defend their properties.

“I want to commend the security operatives, most especially the Police, Nigerian Army, and NSCDC. They responded on time and they were on the ground now and they were maintaining normalcy now. I want to appeal to the security agencies not to withdraw their men who are on the ground to prevent any other attacks.

“Yesterday, the deputy governor called us to a peace meeting, it was on Friday Ifon-Osun came up with a threat signed by Jide Akinyooye that they gave state government and Ilobu community 14 days to vacate a parcel of land and if they don’t vacate, there would be communal clash,” Mr Ogunsola stated.

Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, the Osun State government has issued no statement over the renewed hostility between the two communities.