Tension In Osun Communities Over Boundary Dispute, One Killed, Ten Injured

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

One person has reportedly died and ten others allegedly sustained varying degrees of injuries during the fierce clash that ensued between Moro and Yakoyo communities, in Ife North Local Government over boundary lines.

The former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (RTD) was accused of instigating the violence.

The middle aged man, Olufemi Folorunso, was allegedly killed around 10.30pm by the youths of Yakoyo, on Sunday

When CityMirrorNews visited the two communities on Monday, there was tension in the area. Though, the police were seeing in some strategic places to maintain peace and order.

At the palace of Olumoro of Moro, Oba Abidoye Oyeniyi, the residents, mainly youths, gathered to express their anger.

The illustrious son of Yakoyo, Akinrinade came to the palace to appease the people of the neighboring Moro community.

The two communities according to information have been at loggerhead over boundary lines , which has resulted to incessant fracas that have claimed lives and property.

Meanwhile, Akinrinade has been fingered as the brain behind the latest crisis which started since last week.

The National President of Moro Progressive Union, Elder Femi Ogundele, at a press conference on Monday alleged that the skirmish started when some people identified to be Akinrinade’s aides were seen cleaning the name of the town from signboards erected on Moro’s land.

He said when the people were challenged, they claimed to have been acting on the directive of the retired general.

According to him, Akinrinade later surfaced and admitted to have instructed the people to carry out the assignment.

” When he was confronted , he claimed that since he had paid for those portions of land he is presently occupying, he has the right to change the name of the area despite falling within our community.

“He is from Yakoyo, we sold the portion of land he is presently occupying to him,and we have evidence of payment with legally backed agreement.

” We later settled it with intervention of our royal father and his elder brother, who facilitated a peace meeting.

“But to our utter dismay, few hours after the truce, we started hearing gunshots and before we realised what was happening, a young man had been shot dead.

“As if that was not enough, the assailants came to our palace again around 10pm and started shooting sporadically, they eventually succeeded in breaking the palace’s gate and vandalised many cars parked within the premises.

” The Commissioner of Police has to come around with her men before the situation could be brought under control, it was really a nightmare for our community”, Ogundele said.

He therefore appealed to security agencies to beef up security around the town to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

Also speaking, the Baale Aiyedade of Ojigidiri, Chief Busade Adebagbo
said the incident is not necessary following the meeting preceding the renaming of signposts in the town

He said the land in question belongs to Moro and was sold to General Akinrinade and they have all the necessary documents to prove the ownership of the land.

He urged the people of Moro to remain calm and not retaliate the attack on their land.

Echoing a similar view, a youths leader in the community, Olajide Abomide said Akinrinade is using his position to victimise the people of Moro who he said are the rightful owners of the disputed land.

He noted that apart from Olufemi Folorunso who was shot dead, ten others persons were seriously wounded.

He, therefore, urged the state government to urgently intervene before the situation getting out of hand.

Akinrinade in his reaction simply dismissed the crisis as a consequence of youth exuberance and excesses of young people who are largely idle.

“Beyond nomenclature, Yakoyo and Moro are communities of the same origin going by their historical background .

“The crisis started as just a small misunderstanding about where the boundaries lie, whether your house or mine is in Moro or Yakoyo.

“You know, the modern system where people start drawing lines and putting signboards are alien to communal cohesion, that is modern .

“To me, the crisis was absolutely unnecessary to have even resulted to altercation not to talk of going to the extent of fighting one another .

“Unfortunately, when you have a community with so many young people that are not busy, this is the kind of thing you experience”, Akinrinade resorted.