Two warring communities in Osun State, Ifon and Ilobu, have signed a peace agreement brokered by the state government after weeks of violence and tension.
This was disclosed in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi.
The state government also said the curfew it earlier imposed on the two communities in Orolu and Irepodun local government areas remains in place.
This statement came after seven houses were reportedly set on fire by the belligerents after Governor Ademola Adeleke had met leaders of the communities to appeal for peace.
For the past few days, violence in Ifon and Ilobu has led to killings and destruction of properties.
Earlier on Friday, Governor Adeleke announced the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on the two communities.
The spokesperson of Ilobu Development Union, Tairu Babatunde, in a statement on Friday, had said seven houses were burnt after the meeting with the governor.
Mr Babatunde blamed security personnel for not stopping the chaos from escalating to the razing of the houses.
He warned that the curfew may not stop the crisis and pleaded with the government to deploy more security agents to the two local government areas.
“The 24-hour curfew is not enough if lives and property of the people are still not safe, hence, we plead with the state government to ensure that adequate personnel are deployed in the communities to restore law and order,” he concluded
premiumtimes report revealed how the carnage was ignited by the killing of Sodiq Alamu, a 28-year-old native of Ilobu, whose body was found at Opapa village in Ilobu.
Thereafter, the Ilobu Asake Development Union (IDU) accused people from the neighbouring Ifon of carrying out the killing.
The government reacted to the tension in the area over the incident by imposing an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on the two local government areas on September 18, 2023.
The police also assured that they were investigating the killing and urged people in the two LGAs to embrace peace.
Below is the latest statement by Osun Information commissioner, Mr Kolapo Alimi.
1. The Ifon and Ilobu Communities of Orolu and Irepodun local governments respectively have agreed to sheath their swords with immediate effect following a signed Peace Agreement to stop the communal clashes.
2. That notwithstanding this cheering development, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun state in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state directs that the 24-hour Curfew earlier imposed in Orolu and Irepodun local governments housing Ifon and Ilobu communities be continued until further notice.
3. That the Peace pact agreement was arrived at during a stakeholders meeting held Friday night, between the Osun state government and the leaders of the two warring communities
4. The Osun state government delegation to the peace agreement was led by the state Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, alongside the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, and other top government officials.
5. That Otun Olobu, Chief Jimoh Waliyu, the Esa of Ifon, Chief Babatunde Oyetunji and the representative of the third community of Olokanla, Mr Bashiru Azeez, with two other representatives from each of the community, signed the peace agreement on behalf of their communities.
6. That Governor Ademola Adeleke commended the resolve by the warring communities in putting pen on paper to say *No To War* and *Yes To Peace* in Ifon, Ilobu and Olokanla communities.
7. That with the peace agreement reached, the 24-hour curfew should continue till a total restoration of peace, law and order in the communities, must have been seen to have returned totally.
8. That anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or saying anything contrary to the peace agreement would be prosecuted in line with the dictate of the law accordingly.
9. That strict restriction of both human and vehicular movements in the affected areas and communities subsists until otherwise directed by His Excellency, the state Governor and the Chief Security Officer of Osun state.
10. That officers of the Joint Security Task Force comprising the Nigerian Army, Police Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agents, as directed by His Excellency, are to remain on 24-hour surveillance of the two communities with a view to ensuring a lasting peace.
11. That as a government, the present administration will not stop at doing anything as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to protect the lives and properties of the people of Orolu and Irepodun local governments and by extension, Osun state in general.
12. The Osun state government appreciates the leadership of the Ifon and Ilobu communities as well as Olokanla for the signing of the peace agreement.
13. That, Osun state government, for the umpteenth time commiserates with the families of victims of the communal clashes, who lost their lives in the wake of the recent crisis, he concluded.
Leave a Reply