Many killed, others injured as Yoruba, Hausa clash in Osun

…Govt declares curfew, Ooni sues for peace

Tragedy struck in Ile-Ife, Osun State with no fewer than ten persons are feared dead as Yoruba and Hausa communities clash. In the clash between the communities, several houses were burnt and scores of people got injured. It was gathered that some school children took refuge at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, amidst radio broadcast that their parents should visit the palace for their wards.

The combined team of security agencies were seen on ground to restore normalcy to the town. Eyewitnesses narrated that there was dominant use of weapons during the clash which started Tuesday evening. When our correspondent visited the scene of the clash, which continued Wednesday, the streets were deserted. At lagere area, some Yoruba youths, while armed with cutlasses, knives and clubs stormed some shops, said to be owned by the Hausa’s and started breaking them.

The crisis, which grounded commercial activities in the ancient city, resumed around 06.30am on Wednesday, was allegedly triggered by ethnic sentiment. At the scene of the clash, sources gave two different dimensions as the cause of the crisis. While some said the crisis was began when a Hausa man wanted to forcefully keep his luggage with a yoruba woman, others said it was caused as a result of an extra-marital affairs between a married Yorwoman and a Hausa man.

A trader in the Sabo market, where the clash occurred, narrated that the excesses of the hausa man triggered reprisal from the yorubas. He explained that the hausa man had hit the yoruba trader when some transporters intervened and retaliated. He said, “The woman was sitting in her shop when the man came. He wanted to drop some loads with her but the woman refused. She asked him to take his load away. Suddenly, he slapped the woman and she locked him.

“Later, we saw her making a call and some group of youths came to defend her.” Another source said the clash was a continuation of the lingering crisis between factions of National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), Abuja branch and Hausas. On his part, the Sarum of Ife Kingdom, Chief Yemi Oriowo, said that one Hausa man slapped wife of NURTW Vice-President, which made the two factions to engage themselves on fight, on Wednesday, in Ile-Ife.

Meanwhile, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called on Ife indigenes and non-indigenes especially Hausas to maintain peaceful coexistence in I. Oba Ogunwusi made the call while addressing pressmen during the clash between Ife and Hausa on Wednesday, in Ile-Ife. He said, “I kicked against war or violence of any forms, for am a king that canvasses for peace and unity among Yoruba race and Nigeria at large.

“As Hausa are sourjouners on this land of Ile-Ife likewise Ife indigenes lives in other towns and cities across the country and in diaspora. ” Let’s give peace a chance and maintain peace and harmony on the land.” Also, the Elejesi of Ejesi Kingdom, Ife, Oba Babatunde Awosunle, called on the two factions to allow peace to reign on the land and desist from all forms of bloodshed.

In a related development, Osun State Government has declared a two day curfew in entire Ile-Ife City, State of Osun.
This was contained in a statement from the Office of the Governor, signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon. The statement read that the curfew was compelled by the breach of the peace in the area which has led to avoidable destruction of lives and properties.

“The curfew, which will be between 6pm to 7am, will be in force till Friday. The curfew takes effect from today Wednesday March, 8th, 2017,” it added. This is as the government The Government of Osun on Wednesday said it has caused deployment of heavy security forces to the scene of the crisis in Ile Ife in Ife Central West Local Council Development Area of the state.

The government assured people of its readiness of the security forces to quell the face off which has led to the destruction of properties in affected area of the ancient city. The statement added, “This is to assure all and sundry that the breach of the peace in Ile Ife is not beyond the control of our highly mobilized security forces.

“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.”