The violence reportedly followed the killing of a commercial tricycle rider on Tuesday night, an incident that heightened tension among some residents of the community and prompted the deployment of security operatives to restore law and order.
The violence reportedly followed the killing of a commercial tricycle rider on Tuesday night.
The Oyo State Government has appealed for calm following the violence that erupted in the Ojoo area of Ibadan on Wednesday, confirming that two people lost their lives in the unrest and assuring residents that a full-scale investigation has been launched to bring those responsible to justice.
The violence reportedly followed the killing of a commercial tricycle rider on Tuesday night, an incident that heightened tension among some residents of the community and prompted the deployment of security operatives to restore law and order.
Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, who visited the affected area on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, urged residents, particularly youths, to remain peaceful and allow security agencies to carry out their investigations.
He warned that the government would not tolerate any form of disorderliness capable of disrupting the peace of the state and stressed that criminal acts should not be given ethnic or tribal colouration.
Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal visited the affected area on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde.
While commending security personnel for swiftly taking control of the situation, Lawal directed them to maintain a strong presence in the area to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment of the community, the Deputy Governor said: “There was a civil confusion around this place, perpetrated by some criminal elements, having the tendency of snowballing to tribal clash and we must nip it in the bud.
“Criminals are criminals and there is no tribal colouration to criminality. So, we want to ensure peace and stability here in Ojoo and, indeed, all parts of Oyo State.
“So, we have come to appeal to our people here, particularly the youth, that they should give peace a chance, because government has waded into the matter now. We are profiling, we are investigating and whoever is found culpable will be brought to face the law, whether he is an Hausa man, Igbo man, Yoruba man or whatever. Criminality is not exclusive to a particular tribe.
“We want to know what triggered this crisis and once we know, then we will deal with it decisively. But our appeal now is for all our young men and women, youths, and elders to allow the security people to do their jobs.
“The second appeal is to tell our people not to take laws into their hands. That is crucial. You know we already have security challenges on our hands and we do not want the situation to be compounded.
“Let us be well-focused so that the challenges can be surmounted. Please, be patient so that this one will also be addressed as we are addressing the current challenges that we have.
“We want to appreciate all our youths, men and women, shop owners, for their patience. We understand that we have recorded two casualties. We will probe, we will investigate, and the perpetrators will be brought to book.
“The appeal now is for everybody to leave this space. Go back to your homes and allow the security personnel to take charge of this space for now in order to restore peace.”
“We want to appreciate all our youths, men and women, shop owners, for their patience. We understand that we have recorded two casualties. We will probe, we will investigate, and the perpetrators will be brought to book.
“The appeal now is for everybody to leave this space. Go back to your homes and allow the security personnel to take charge of this space for now in order to restore peace.”
Lawal was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde; the Executive Assistant on Security to the Governor, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd); and the Executive Chairman of Akinyele Local Government, Honourable Wole Akinleye.
Eyewitnesses described the atmosphere in the area as tense in the early hours of Wednesday but noted that the prompt intervention of security personnel helped prevent further escalation.
Meanwhile, Akinyele Local Government Chairman, Honourable Akinwole Ayobami Akinleye, assured residents that the government was working closely with security agencies to safeguard lives and property and appealed against reprisals and the spread of unverified information.
Earlier, a youth representative in the community urged the government to engage leaders of the affected parties to broker a lasting peace, warning that failure to achieve reconciliation could lead to reprisals.
Following his visit to the area, the Deputy Governor held a meeting with leaders of the Yoruba and Hausa communities, other stakeholders, the Akinyele Local Government Chairman and members of the governor’s security team.
At the meeting, the community leaders maintained that there was no crisis between Hausa and Yoruba residents in the area and pledged to continue working together to ensure lasting peace and harmony in the community.
