Gun battle in Ife-North communities, 12 persons shot

BARELY 23 days after a violent clash between the Yoruba and the Hausa in Ile-Ife, Osun State, no fewer than 12 persons, on Friday, sustained gunshot injuries following renewed hostilities between Ipetumodu and Ashipa communities in Ife North Local Government Area of the state.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the two communities started another round of hostilities on Wednesday after some youths fought during an inter-house sports competition at Community High School, Ipetumodu.

Sources said that some unidentified youths had stormed Akinola Market, in Ashipa, on Thursday night, burnt it and then shot sporadically to scare people away from the scene.

A resident of Ashipa community who pleaded for anonymity disclosed that many people sustained injuries during the clash and they had been taken to hospitals.

Speaking on the development, a leader of Ipetumodu, Chief Adedeji Asalu, said: “The people of Ashipa community are responsible for the clash that ensued in our community, starting from the school riot and the communal clash that culminated in the burning of our market.”

He stated that “nine people from our community were shot by them (Ashipa community) and this is not their first time of attacking us; we have been attacked several times.”

However, a prominent indigene of Ashipa, Chief Julius Ogerinde, who spoke to journalists on telephone, accused the people Ipetumodu of instigating another communal clash on Friday.

Chief Ogerinde said: “The people of Ipetumodu are economical with the truth. They are aggrieved because the white paper issued by the Osun State government on a land dispute favoured us.

“They only used the opportunity of the inter-house sports competition to vent their anger. Three of our people were shot.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folasade Odoro, confirmed the clash but said peace had been restored to the two communities.