Osun communal clash claims life of polytechnic student

A student of Westland Polytechnic, Ilobu, was reportedly shot dead on Thursday amid the escalating communal clashes between the Ifon and Ilobu communities in Osun State. The tragic incident occurred despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the state government to curb the violence.

The fatal shooting, according to the National President of the Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Olufemi Salako, took place around 11 a.m. when armed individuals, allegedly from Ifon-Osun, invaded the Ganga and Oke-Ima areas of Ilobu. Witnesses described the attackers firing indiscriminately, causing panic and exacerbating tensions in the area.

Salako revealed that the victim, a Computer Science student at Westland Polytechnic, was killed hours before the curfew was announced. He condemned the attack, claiming the invaders targeted residents and property within the community, which is home to prominent figures, including former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuff.

In a statement, Salako urged the Osun State Government to summon the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Peter Ipadeola, over the violence. He warned that the patience of the Ilobu community was being pushed to its limit.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, Jide Akinyooye, denied the allegations, accusing Ilobu residents of initiating hostilities by seizing and destroying motorcycles belonging to Ifon natives. Akinyooye called on security agencies to investigate and arrest those responsible for the crisis.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Osun State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, remained unanswered.

The ongoing hostilities have claimed several lives, displaced residents, and heightened insecurity in the region. Authorities are intensifying efforts to restore peace, but tensions remain high.