Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has urged residents of Oyo State, particularly the Yoruba people in Shasha area of Ibadan not to take laws into their hands following heightened tensions between the Hausas and Yorubas as a result of provocation.
Tensions came to a boil on Saturday, Feb 13, in Ogun state, when hoodlums suspected to be herdsmen allegedly launched an attack on Orile-Igbooro in Yewa North Local Government area, killing no fewer than four persons.
Houses were burnt down while several people sustained varying degrees of injury in the said attack.
Several other communities in the area were also allegedly attacked.
Governor Akeredolu, who doubles as the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, spoke on Saturday on the violent clash in Shasha community, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
In a statement which he personally signed and made available to journalists, the governor reminded the people of value of the high moral standards for which the Yoruba stock is known, saying, “We note with deep concern the most and avoidable orgy of violence in Shasha, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State also pleaded with parties in the region not to take the law into their hands.
Fayemi called on the warring parties to the Shasha, Ibadan clash to sheath their swords.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, he sympathised with the government and people of Oyo State, especially families that have lost lives and properties during the violent clash.
Governor Fayemi also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for taking immediate steps in arresting the carnage, including the declaration of curfew. Fayemi said regardless of the cause of the disagreement that led to the mayhem, a peaceful resolution of the conflict remained the best option.
