As the communal clashes between Ifon and Ilobu in Orolu and Irepodun local government areas deepen, residents across the affected communities are fleeing their homes in droves, seeking safety and refuge from the escalating violence.
The once-calm neighborhoods are now deserted, with abandoned homes and shuttered businesses bearing testament to the devastating impact of the conflict, which has left two people dead and over 30 others sustained varying degrees of injuries from gun shoots.
In a disturbing video obtained by the Guild Press, thousands of people were seen making their journey on foot to escape the affected areas, with some fleeing in buses and others on motorcycles (Okada), carrying loads of personal belongings.
The desperation and fear etched on their faces were palpable, as they sought to escape the escalating violence with voices chanting “Have mercy on us” as they trekked out of their once-comfort zone.
The mass exodus, as gathered, erupted after a group of hoodlums armed with sophisticated firearms and dangerous weapons including charms, cutlasses, clubs, and arrows, organized themselves into formidable groups to unleash terror on one another last night.
According to reports, the armed men engaged in a fierce battle around the Odo-Oje area, which marks the boundary between the two communities, shooting at each other indiscriminately.
It was learnt that during the chaos, a good number of people sustained bullet wounds, while several others were attacked with machetes and beaten with charms to inflict harm on their victims.
A source alleged that the incident had been reported to police in the state but was ignored by the enforcement agency leading the violence to surge, becoming unbearable for residents who fled their homes to avoid being killed.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, has imposed a curfew on both villages in response to the hoodlum’s role in inciting violence and threatening the state’s public safety.
To enforce the curfew, Adeleke ordered security agencies including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, and Civil Defence, to maintain orders and warned that anyone or group found instigating any further violence, in breach of lasting peace would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
In a statement signed by the commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, and made available to newsmen on Friday, the curfew will take effect from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
