Segun Showunmi, Ibadan
The crisis between Hausa and Yoruba communities which led to the closure of the popular Shasha Market, Ibadan by the Oyo State Government has again turned bloody following burning down of number of shops by suspected criminals.
Penpushing reports that, the market, which is reputed for cheap raw food brought from northern Nigeria, was embroiled in crisis on Thursday when a cart pushing Hausa man and a Yoruba man who was a cobbler, had an unresolved scuffle.
The Yoruba man was said to have been attacked by the Hausa man which later resulted in his death, having allegedly hit with a deadly charm, hence the government had to order curfew in the vicinity and closure of the market.
Penpushing further reports, the ugly development reared its ugly head on Saturday, as the youths of both Yoruba and Hausa extraction regroup to launch attack which led to burning of some shops with casualties from both sides.
The shops set ablaze according to sources were about fifty, and not spare of being looted, while most affected shops were those with raw food, groceries, fabrics, groundnut oil and plastics, among others.
Penpushing also reports that, as at the time of filing this report security personnel, mainly members of the state’s joint security outfit codenamed Operation Burst, were at the market to quell the riot while policemen manned the main gate of the market.
The members of Operation Burst outfit, mainly soldiers and civil defence corps were sighted at the scene to enforce the 6pm to 7am curfew imposed by the state government, while number of residents within the area were seen watching situation from front of their houses.
Penpushing reports that, one of the victims whose shop was looted and burnt, Kazeem Olona, said he suffered huge losses, adding that no fewer than four people were killed in the attack from his own record.
The official of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) at Shasa Motor Park, Abiodun Adeyi said that the incident has adversely affected their work because passengers were no longer coming to the motor park since the incident started.
“We are calling for quick intervention of the government on this issue before it gets out of hand. Governor Makinde should give more power to Amotekun corps for them to perform their duties effectively in protecting lives and property” he said
Penpushing further reports that, the Oyo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi when contacted denied that many people died in the attack, arguing that report available to him has it that one person died.
“I don’t have such report. The report am having with me shows that only one person lost his life during the incident, except if I have another one from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area. If anybody is killed, then there should be an official report by the family of the deceased, not just an hearsay”, Fadeyi said
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