
Tension gripped Ifon and Ilobu towns in Osun State as residents fled their homes on Monday due to reported clashes involving hoodlums from the two communities. The cause of the violence is not immediately clear, but sources suggest that militias from Ifon and Ilobu clashed in villages on the Osun-Oyo border before the conflict escalated to the towns.
Ifon and Ilobu have a history of engaging in bloody clashes over boundary issues, leading to a 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government in October 2023. The curfew was lifted in December after relative peace was restored.
The Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Leke Ogunsola, reported that hoodlums from Ifon attacked Ilobu farmers in Ologele and Aganna villages, resulting in the death of a farmer and injuries to others. In contrast, the Secretary of Ifon Progressive Union Board of Trustees, Jide Akinyooye, alleged that hoodlums from Ilobu attacked Ifon indigenes, causing injuries.
A resident of Ilobu, identified as Oladotun, revealed that many people fled their homes in both Ilobu and Ifon to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Business outlets were hastily shut down as news of the clashes spread to the two towns.
The Osun State Police Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps have deployed personnel to the area to prevent further escalation. The authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and residents are urged to exercise caution amid the ongoing unrest.