Ifon-Ilobu Hostilities: Adeleke Declares Curfew

Following renewed hostilities between Ifon-Orolu and Ilobu communities in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has again declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area.

The governor had in October 2023 declared a curfew in the communities as a result of violent communal clashes which led to the death of several people while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Tuesday, the governor had approved a 6:00pm to 6:00am curfew on the warring communities effective immediately.

It reads further “Following the just-concluded state security meeting, the Osun State government has taken the following decisions aimed at ensuring lasting peace in the warring communities of Ifon and Ilobu:

“That a 6pm to 6 am curfew will be imposed with immediate effect starting from today,Tuesday,the 30th of Jan 2024 on the warring communities;

“The Osun State government should set up a joint task force of all stakeholders in the warring communities, which should include traditional chiefs of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun with immediate effect;

“That a high-powered stakeholders meeting will be held with all traditional chiefs and rulers from the three communities with government officials and all security chiefs in attendance;

“That a contingent of all security personnel, comprising the Army, Police, and Civil Defence, be deployed to the warring communities immediately.

“While the present administration under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has mobilized all the necessary security personnel to the warring communities, he, accordingly commiserate with the affected people, who lost their loved ones in the wake of the renewed violence.

“Premised on the review of the security situation, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, has approved that the 6pm to 6am curfew be imposed with immediate effect.

“Finally, in this regard, anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or instigating any further violence, knowingly or unknowingly, in breach of lasting peace would be made to face the music, via necessary prosecution, in line with the dictates of the law of Nigeria.”