By Victor Adeoti
The Osun Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Ifon and Ilobu, in Orolu and Irepodun Local Government Areas of the state respectively over ongoing communal clash in the area.
This is contained in a statement in Osogbo on Friday, by Mr Kolapo Alimi, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both communities in the two local government areas have been clashing over a parcel of land.
Alimi said that the curfew was to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the hitherto two peaceful and law abiding communities.
He said that Gov. Ademola Adeleke directed that the 24-hour curfew on the communities should take immediate effect.
“To maintain a lasting peace and order, pending when the issues at hand will be amicably resolved, Gov. Adeleke, in his executive capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state, has ordered the immediate takeover of the disputed lands/areas by his administration.
“In the same vein, government has ordered that anyone or group of persons found or seen doing one thing or the other on the disputed lands/areas will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Therefore, in strict compliance with the 24-hour curfew now imposed, there will be strict restriction of both human and vehicular movements in the affected areas and communities until otherwise directed by the governor,” he said.
The commissioner also said that officers of the Joint Security Task Force, comprising the Nigerian Army, Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, have been directed to be on a 24-hour surveillance on the communities with a view to ensuring lasting peace.
“As a government, the present administration has the obligation as conferred on it by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to protect the lives and property of the people of Orolu and Irepodun local governments and by extension, Osun state.
“The present administration will not in any way be a party to compromising any action or utterances that will mortgage the peace and order currently holding sway in the state.
“While commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the wake of the recent crisis, the present administration is still reiterating the need for peace and order to be restored in the two concerned local governments.
“Maintaining peace and order is our collective responsibility in Osun state,” he added.
NAN also reports that the state government had earlier on Sept. 17 imposed an indefinite dusk-to-dawn curfew on both communities.
The measure came in the wake of a communal clash between the two communities, resulting in a total breakdown of law and order.
NAN
