Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
No fewer than four people were allegedly feared dead, while Seven policemen and many people were reportedly shot by hoodlums dressed in security operatives gears in Osun State community.
However, crisis was said to have erupted from the appointment of Prince Timileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido-Ayegunle, a town in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State by the state government.
Also, police authorities yesterday confirmed that seven policemen were shot when they first arrived in the community, and noted that nobody was killed.
According to the police image-maker, Yemisi Opalola, police operatives have been deployed to restore peace.
She said: “When we heard that there was crisis in the community, we deployed our men to the communities, then they were ambushed.”
Opalola stressed that the policemen were trying to clear the trees that they felled on their path when they were ambushed, as bullet hit one of them on the neck.
It would be recalled that the Ido-Ayegunle community is a town between Ijebu-Ijesa and Esa-Oke.
THISDAY learnt that the dispute which started over the weekend snowballed into a communal crisis between an indigenes of town which alleged that the monarch was from Ilesa.
According to a sources by one of the indigene of the town, the casualties were allegedly shot during a clash last Monday by police operatives.
The incident has thrown residents and indigenes of the towns into palpable fear, as many scrambled for safety
However, the spokesperson for Esa- Oke Central Union, Mr. Oladiti Awodiran, at a press conference in Osogbo yesterday, expressed utmost regret and profound sadness concerning the tragic event that occurred in Esa Oke an hitherto peaceful community in Obokun LGA of Osun State.
According to him, “My heart bleeds and my head aches as I stand before you today to inform you that men in police uniform invaded Esa Oke community and started shooting sporadically leading to the death of no fewer than four youths while several others were wounded in the mayhem.
“The pandemonium broke out as a result of the announcement by Governor Ademola Adeleke that a stranger has been appointed as Oba or Baale in a community within Esa Oke town.
“The Esa Oke community had in the past vehemently resisted the attempt to install an Oba or Baale in the community as the said settlement is right inside Esa Oke town a few meters to the campus of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke.
“To us, the appointment of a Baale or Oba in another town’s territory negates all logic, tradition and history.
“Esa Oke is in Ijesa North federal constituency, and the settlement (Ido Ajegunle) on which a monarch was appointed by Owa of Ilesa is unit eleven polling station under Esa Oke.
“As I stand here to address you, youths in Esa Oke are being arrested arbitrarily and moved to unknown places.
“Our sons, Hon Oluwole Oke, the chairman of Esa Oke Central Union, Otunba Yinusa Bamgboye, Gbite Adeniyi, Professor Siji Olamiju, Prince Banji Ademiku, and concerned family of the Asalu Family of Esa Oke as well as host of other well-meaning Esa OKE sons and daughters have waded into the matter and the community had resolved to follow the path of law and peace before today’s unfortunate incident.
“We are, therefore, calling on the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Director of DSS Osun State, office of the Special Adviser to investigate the killing in Esa Oke today.”
