Hoodlums kill poly student in fresh Osun communal clash
Hoodlums
The leadership of the Ilobu-Asake Development Union, the flagship group for indigenes of Ilobu in Osun State, on Thursday, alleged a student of a private polytechnic located in the town was shot dead by some individuals from the Ifon community.
A statement by the National President of the group, Mr. Olufemi Salako, said the killing occurred in the afternoon, before the announcement of curfew by the governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Salako further alleged that armed hoodlums had stormed Ganga and Oke-Ima, Ilobu, around 11 am and shot at people, adding that during the incident, the student, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was hit.
The statement partly read, “The people of Ilobu hereby use this medium to report to the Osun State Government, security agencies and the world at large that hoodlums and invaders from Ifon-Osun have on today Thursday, January 16 afternoon, killed a student of the Department of Computer Science, Westland Polytechnic, Ilobu.
“The attackers shot an innocent and harmless student of the polytechnic located at the Oke-Ima area of Ilobu. The armed-to-teeth hoodlums stormed Ganga and Oke-Ima on Thursday around 11 am and started shooting at every living and non-living object sighted by them and the student, whose identity has yet to be confirmed, is one of their victims.
“For emphasis, Oke-Ima is less than two kilometres from the palace of Olobu of Ilobu and the community houses eminent personalities including the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuff. This is to show that the invaders knowingly entered into the inner streets of Ilobu.”
Calling on the Osun State Government to immediately summon the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Peter Ipadeola, on the killings and destruction of property perpetrated, Salako said the patience and endurance of the Ilobu community were being stretched to breaking point.
When contacted for reaction, the Secretary, Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, Jide Akinyooye, dismissed the allegations, saying hoodlums from Ilobu had seized and destroyed three motorcycles belonging to residents of Ifon.
“They are not being truthful. We didn’t go to their town. Hoodlums sent from Ilobu today seized and destroyed three motorcycles belonging to the Ifon people. Our people in Ifon didn’t go to Ilobu to attack anyone.
“Security agencies should look into the allegations to arrest the perpetrators. For emphasis, I can tell you that we didn’t attack or shoot anyone. Hoodlums from Ilobu should be asked questions regarding whatever incident that happened,” Akinyooye said.
Efforts to reach the Osun Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, for an update regarding the security situation in the two communities proved futile.
Calls to her line rang out, while the response to a message sent to her was still being expected as of the time of filing this report.
