Ife feud: Aregbesola calls for peace, vows to prosecute perpetrators

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has assured the Hausa Community in the state of adequate protection of their lives and property.

The governor stated this on Thursday at Ooni’s palace when he visited Ile-Ife following the crisis which erupted in the ancient city between the Hausa and Yoruba.

He said the state government is already on top of the communal clash and normalcy had returned to Ile-Ife.

He called on citizens as well as other tribes resident in the state to go about their lawful duties without fear of intimidation as government has put everything in place for their security.

Aregbesola, who condemned the actions of those behind the fracas at Ife promised that those behind the unfortunate incident would be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said the present administration will continue to work to ensure that the activities of miscreants are completely wiped out of the state to make Osun the most peaceful state in the country.

According to him, the incident at Ile-Ife yesterday is highly unfortunate and least expected, it was caused by some senseless set of people who took laws into their hands.

“We will not allow miscreants in our state, we will fish them out, especially the perpetrators of the fracas at Ife, we are going arrest them from their hiding place and prosecute them.

“I appeal to communities in our dear state to remain calm and go about their lawful activities.

“Everything is under control by the government and I promise you that it will never happen again” the governor promised.

Aregbesola, who visited the scene of the clash, expressed regrets that the incident happened.

He was received at the entrance to the town by the Serikin Hausa, Alhaji Mohammed Mandagali, who accompanied him to visit the scene.

He later met the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in his palace for discussion on how to bring succour to the affected community.

Also, the Ooni of Ife, described members of the Hausa Community in Ile-Ife as his subjects and co-owners of the town with whom he has enjoyed tremendous loyalty in the last 14months of his reign.

The monarch said that the crisis was very unfortunate one caused by agents of backwardness and devastation.

He said that he was unhappy about the whole crisis, saying he always treated the Hausas residing in the town as his subjects.

“That is why I did not leave any stone unturned to bring the avoidable ugly situation to normalcy by acting promptly upon receiving a report of an altercation between a Yoruba woman and a Hausa man on Tuesday evening.

“I immediately sent some chiefs to address the situation, which was amicably resolved and we all thought it was over until we woke up the following morning (Wednesday) to hear that they had started attacking one another.

“I quickly informed the security agencies, who responded very swiftly, ” Ooni said.

The monarch also praised the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola for his efforts towards ending the crisis.

“Thank God for the normalcy, the governor has been so proactive and the security agents have been on top of the situation.

“I got a tipoff that a number of our Hausa brothers were being held in captivity, we rushed to trace them to where they were being held.

“We were able to rescue all of them numbering over a thousand and got them handed over to their Seriki Hausa, ” he said.

The royal father urged all the Yoruba people to always embrace the Hausa and other ethnic groups as their brothers to enjoy maximum peaceful coexistence.

“My people, we are working to ensure that things don’t get out of hand. We must allow peace to reign in Ile-Ife and respect one another.

“Yorubaland is a place of love, we show love to every visitor in our land and our kinsmen from other parts of the country.

“Let us always maintain peace and harmony with them here too,” he pleaded.

Meanwhile, the Seriki Hausa, Alhaji Mohammed Mandagali, expressed his appreciation to the state governor, Aregbesola, Ooni Ogunwusi, community leaders and the security agencies for their efforts in curtailing the crisis.

Mandagali lamented the loss of lives and property of his people, saying it was painful and avoidable incident.

He called on the state government and Ooni to relocate the Abuja motor pack, Ife branch to another place because the drivers were the root of the chaos.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, CP Fimihan Adeoye, who was represented by his deputy, ACP Aminu Kogi, said that Police from Oyo, Ogun and Osun with other security personnel have been deployed to restore peace.

Newsverge reports that the Osun government has extended the curfew in Ile-Ife from 6p.m to 7a.m till Monday.