Black Sallah As Muslim Communities Clash Over Prayer Ground

Muslims celebrated Eid-Eil-Fitr peacefully through out the country on Friday, reverse was the case in Igboora
town in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State where two Muslim
communities; Igboora and Igbope engaged one another over claims of right to Eid
praying ground, a situation that left several people injured.

Muslim faithful observing prayer

Trouble started when the Chief Imam of Igboora, Alhaji Alobalowo went to Igbole praying ground, said to have been donated to the Muslim community, to lead prayers, but met stiff resistance from the Chief Imam of Igbole and his supporters who said that Alobalowo had no right to the ground because it was situated outside his community.

The Igbole Praying Ground, it was
gathered was said to have been given to Igboora Muslim community by the
traditional ruler of Igbole.

The argument over who has the
right to lead prayers at the ground reportedly broke into a fracas.

The situation it was gathered on
Saturday took the intervention of the Area Commander of Ibarapa Area Command,
ACP Sola Oketuyi, who led policemen and operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) to the two communities to put the situation under control.

Our correspondent gathered that
no fewer than seven people among whom are Chief Imams of Igbole and Igboora
have been arrested, while five motorcycles said to have been used to convey those who fomented trouble to the scene were also recovered, along with some dangerous weapons.

A source who gave a background
details said that the fight had been on for about seven years after the death
of the Chief Imam who was leading the two communities in prayers.

He said, “Two people have
been fighting over the leadership of Muslim faithful during Islamic
festivities, after the death of the former Chief Imam. The case was taken to
court and the Chief Imam of Igboora won”.

He said that the two groups did
not use the praying ground in 2017, but this year, Chief Imam of Igbole
reportedly approached the Baale of Igbole to plead with the Chief Imam of
Igboora for the usage of the land, pending the time the court case would be
finalized, which was agreed to.

He said that, the Chief Imam of
Igboora and his supporters, having won the case, decided this year that instead
of using the central mosque as was being done before, this year’s prayers
should be held on the praying ground.

Spokesman of the state Police
Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the arrest, saying that peace and
normalcy had been restored in the two communities.

He said, “It was an intra-religious clash between two Muslim communities of Igbole and Igboora. As soon as the report was received, policemen were drafted to maintain law and
order.

“Seven suspects, including the
two chief Imams, have been arrested and some dangerous weapons, such as
cutlasses and axes used during the clash were recovered.

“The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude has directed the State CID to carry out discrete investigation into the incident”.
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