Three die as thugs clash with Hausa community in Osun

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Three persons have been reportedly killed during a clash between some hoodlums and the Hausa community in Ede, Osun State.

It was gathered that the crisis started on Tuesday when some suspected thugs attacked the Hausa community at Sabo area of the town but were repelled with two of the hoodlums and one Hausa man killed.

The leader of the thugs, popularly known as Olopa, who allegedly led the invasion was reportedly among the dead.

He was said to be the second-in-command to a notorious thug, simply Identified as Rasheed Oko-Ilu whom the police had declared wanted over series of criminal activities in the area.

It was further learnt that Olopa and his gang had been terrorising the Hausa community and this act made the Seriki to report him to Rasheed.

Rasheed was said to have called his second in command and instructed him not to go to Sabo again but declined the instruction.

Narrating how the incident happened, Seriki Hausa Ede, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim said the thugs had been terrorising the people of the town, including Hausa, disrupting the peace of the community in the process.

“The thugs attacked the Hausa traders and others because the whole of Sabo community houses the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and other tribes in Ede. The thugs are the ones disrupting the peace of the community. 

“The so called Rasheed Oko Ilu was not among. He did not partake in all this occurrence. The thugs that attacked us were Olopa’s boys. Olopa and Rasheed were at loggerheads over who is the leader. 

“During the attack, four to five people were injured, we have not ascertained if anyone was killed. The thugs came to Sabo; they were shooting sporadically. Olopa, who led the thugs was killed. We cannot say how he was killed because the police were there and there was gun fire sporadically. 

“Some properties were stolen, many destroyed. The situation is calm now. We thank the Commissioner of Police for the quick intervention and also the Officer in Charge of anti-cultism. The boys have been with us since the event happened. We thank the governor too and the Ede community people for their support.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yemisi Opalola who confirmed the incident, said it was a rift between some Yoruba boys and the Hausa community, adding that only one person died.

Opalola who said normalcy has returned to the community, assured the people of the state of adequate security of life and property.