Six persons were reportedly injured after gunmen invaded the Egbedi community in Egbedore Local Government Council Area over a land and chieftaincy dispute.
It was gathered that some gun-wielding hoodlums laid siege on the town on Thursday, shooting sporadically into the air and attacking residents with cutlasses.
A palace chief who spoke with newsmen Yisa Akolapo disclosed that a chief and two princes of the town were attacked with a cutlass on Wednesday because they inquired what some strangers in the company of arm-wielding thugs were doing.
Elegbedi, Oba Azeez heard that some persons from Ede and Erin were gathering at Olasaope junction; hence, they sent emissaries, two chiefs and two princes to determine their mission.
“Upon inquiry, the thugs descended on the Chief and the two princes with cutlasses. They attacked Chief Ajiroba, Yisa Abayomi and Prince Abioye, and they had to run to a police station before the police took them to the hospital for treatment.
“Later on Thursday, the hoodlums returned with a gun and stopped in front of Elegbedi’s palace and started shooting sporadically in different directions in our community.
“Six people are in hospital who are battling for their life. The hoodlums shot them. He added that one Oriade Kazeem led the hoodlums from Ede, an aide of Governor Ademola Adeleke and was boosting to have the governor’s backing”.
Meanwhile, the Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez, disclosed that the hoodlums were working with the backing of Timi of Ede, Oba Adesola Lawal, to install a monarch on Egbedi land.
“The land they were trying to install a monarch on is currently a subject of litigation in a court in the state; instead of waiting for the outcome, they resorted to attacking our people.
I am calling on Nigerians to come to our aid as six of my subjects are currently receiving treatment over the incident”, he said.
Meanwhile, a statement from Timi of Ede media office issued on Friday stated that the palace has nothing to do with the crisis in Egbedi.
“Timi palace has nothing to do with the crisis in Egbedi; it is the Iloba family that has a land dispute with the town and not Ede town,” the statement added.
However, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke on Saturday, ordered a probe into the alleged attacks in Egbedi town.
The spokesperson for the Governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement issued in reaction to the incident, also assured the people of Egbedi of adequate protection.
“The attention of His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke has been drawn to a viral video and subsequent reported attacks on the town of Egbedi. The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters have been directed to investigate the incident and ensure the restoration of peace in the area as urgently as possible.
“The governor frowned at the unwholesome incident and directed immediate action by the Commissioner and the Special Adviser to restore normalcy through inclusive conflict resolution procedure. Governor Adeleke particularly rejected the involvement of the state government and advised against politicising the unfortunate face-off.
“We should avoid politicising every incident. I have no gun-wielding appointee. I didn’t send anybody to foment a communal crisis. We will get to the root of the matter,” the statement partly read.
(Vanguard)
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