Olubadan sues for peace over deadly Ibadan clash

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, on Wednesday, called for peace among the parties involved in the clash at the Ojoo community in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The monarch, in a statement issued by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, in Ibadan, said peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups in the state remained paramount.

“The peaceful co-existence among the various ethnic groups in the land is of paramount concern to me.

“Regardless of where we come from, we should continue to see ourselves as brothers and sisters,” he said.

The paramount ruler, who acknowledged that minor disagreements could arise in daily interactions, urged all parties involved to exercise restraint in view of the prevailing security situation in the country.

He reminded residents that many Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and ideological backgrounds now regard Ibadan as their home.

The Olubadan also commended security agencies for their swift response to the crisis.

The PUNCH reports that about four people were reportedly killed, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries when wheelbarrow pushers and some youths clashed over the killing of a commercial tricycle rider in the Ojoo area of Akinyele Local Government Area.

Our correspondent observed that traders in the area, as well as operators at the popular Ojoo Motor Park managed by the Park Management System, hurriedly shut down their businesses.

Investigations by The PUNCH revealed that the crisis, which began on Tuesday night, followed an argument involving some wheelbarrow pushers and a commercial tricycle rider during a dispute over a Point-of-Sale transaction, throwing the community into chaos.

One of the eyewitnesses, who identified herself simply as Iya Kadijat, said, “The transaction became contentious after a network failure prevented confirmation of payment despite the customer having already collected the money.

“Between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight yesterday, a man riding a Maruwa went to a POS at Strabag because he wanted to make a withdrawal.

“They gave him the money, but while they were trying to complete the transaction, the network was bad. He had already collected the money and used it, but the POS operator said the transaction had not gone through.

“‘This is the key to my Maruwa. This is my Maruwa. This is my phone. You can keep them. I’m not running anywhere.’

“While they were arguing, somebody suddenly came, slapped him and stabbed him. He did not die immediately; he was rushed to a nearby hospital but died on Wednesday morning. This did not go down well with his fellow tricycle riders, friends and some family members, who besieged the area,” she said.

Another eyewitness, Azeez Olamiposi, said, “He had already collected the money and given it to the person he wanted to give it to. He kept telling them, ‘I can’t run away. My Maruwa is here. This is the key to it. This is my phone. Keep everything. I’m not running.’

“But they didn’t listen. They started beating him and stabbing him.

“This morning, when Yoruba youths and other people came to find out what had really happened, the next thing we saw was people from the other side rushing there and starting a fight.”

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He alleged that an armed man, whose identity could not immediately be verified, appeared at the scene carrying an assault rifle.

“Before we knew it, there was a man who said he was either a policeman or a soldier. He was carrying an AK-47 and wearing a blue jalabiya. Everyone was afraid because of the gun he was carrying.

“He stood between the Yoruba and the Hausa people, then told the Hausa people to chase the Yoruba away. Immediately, one of their men, whom they called ‘General,’ brought out a gun and started shooting.

“The gunfire claimed another life. While shooting, he killed a young boy who had gone to buy Indomie. The boy died. Several other people were also injured and are now in the hospital.”

Addressing residents during an assessment visit on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, attributed the unrest to criminal elements and assured residents that those responsible would be prosecuted.

He said, “The civil unrest in this area has been instigated by criminal elements. Criminals are simply criminals, and criminality has no tribal identity. Our priority is to ensure the restoration of peace and stability here in Ojoo and, indeed, across every part of Oyo State.

“Oyo State has always been renowned for its peaceful coexistence, stability, progress and development. Despite the current situation, we remain committed to sustaining that legacy.”

Lawal added, “We have come to appeal to our people, particularly the youths, to give peace a chance.

“The government has already commenced profiling and investigating those involved, and anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law, irrespective of whether they are Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba or from any other ethnic group. Criminality is not the exclusive preserve of any tribe.”

He assured residents that the government would establish both the remote and immediate causes of the crisis.

“As a government, we are determined to establish the root cause of this crisis. Once the facts are established, we will deal with the matter decisively.

“For now, however, we appeal to all young people, elders and residents to vacate the area and allow the military and other security agencies to take full control of the situation.

“This will enable the security agencies to conduct a thorough assessment and determine exactly what transpired. If large crowds continue to gather or move around the area, it will hinder efforts to resolve the crisis effectively. Our objective is to achieve a lasting solution.

“Let us remain focused and united so that the efforts we are making to address these challenges will yield the desired results.”

He further assured residents that the state government would give the matter the highest priority.

“We ask our people to remain patient, as this matter will receive the same level of attention and commitment as other security challenges confronting the state.

“A full investigation will be carried out, and those responsible will be identified, prosecuted and brought before the courts,” he said.