Oyo Government Appeals for Calm as Ibadan Crisis Claims Two Lives
The Oyo State Government has appealed to residents and youths in Ojoo, Akinyele Local Government Area, to remain calm following the violent unrest that recently rocked the community.
Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, made the appeal on Wednesday during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected area. He assured residents that the government had commenced a full investigation to determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the crisis.
Lawal condemned the violence and warned against giving the incident any ethnic or tribal interpretation, stressing that criminality should never be associated with any particular ethnic group.
He praised security agencies for their swift intervention, noting that their timely response helped prevent the situation from escalating further. He also directed security operatives to maintain a strong presence in the area to restore peace and prevent a recurrence.
According to the Deputy Governor, anyone found responsible for the violence would be prosecuted, regardless of ethnic background.
“There is no tribal colouration to criminality. Anyone found culpable, whether Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo or from any other ethnic group, will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
Lawal urged residents, especially young people, to avoid taking the law into their own hands and instead allow security agencies to carry out their responsibilities while investigations continue.
He disclosed that the unfortunate incident had resulted in two fatalities, assuring families of the victims that justice would be served once investigations were concluded.
The Deputy Governor also appealed to business owners and residents to remain patient and cooperate with security personnel working to restore normalcy in the area.
Earlier, a youth representative in the community called on the state government to facilitate dialogue between leaders of the affected groups to prevent further violence and foster lasting peace.
Following his visit to the crisis scene, Lawal met with leaders of the Hausa and Yoruba communities, alongside stakeholders and government officials. During the meeting, both communities reaffirmed that there was no ethnic conflict between them and pledged to continue working together to maintain peace and harmony in Ojoo.
The Oyo State Government reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, assuring residents that every effort would be made to ensure those responsible for the violence are brought to justice.
