Following a violent outbreak that claimed at least two lives, the Oyo State Government has issued a stern directive to warring factions in the Ojoo area of Akinyele Local Government, demanding an immediate end to hostilities.
The government has launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover both the immediate triggers and underlying causes of the unrest.
The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Bayo Lawal, led a high-powered delegation which included Secretary to the State government Professor Musibau Babatunde and the Executive Assistant to the governor Security Rtd Compol Odukoya on an on-the-spot assessment of the troubled area.
Speaking to residents and community leaders, Lawal warned that the state would deal decisively with individuals attempting to weaponize the conflict to incite tribal tension or disrupt the state’s economic stability.
“We will not tolerate any form of conflict capable of triggering ethnic friction or shattering the peace we have worked hard to build,” Lawal warned. “Criminal acts must be treated as criminal acts—they should not be given an ethnic or tribal coloration.”
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To prevent a reprisal or further escalation, heavy security reinforcements have been deployed to dominate the area.
The Deputy Governor assured the public that law enforcement would maintain a rigid presence until total normalcy is restored.
He further emphasized that the state’s inquiry would be thorough, promising that anyone found guilty of instigating the violence would face the full weight of the law.
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During the assessment, a youth representative from the Ojoo community urged the administration to move beyond reactive security measures. He pressed for immediate, direct mediation between leaders of the feuding groups to broker a sustainable truce, warning that a failure to heal the rift thoroughly could leave the door open for future retaliatory attacks.
The unrest erupted on Tuesday evening in the bustling Ojoo axis of Ibadan. According to local sources, a sharp disagreement degenerated into a full-blown violent clash between local traders and a group of scrap scavengers,
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the ensuing chaos quickly turned lethal, resulting in at least two confirmed fatalities and the destruction of property before security forces arrived to restore a fragile calm.
The Oyo State Government continues to urge residents of Ojoo to remain law-abiding and report any suspicious movements to security agencies via the state’s emergency toll-free lines.
