The Osun State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Tajudeen Eniafe Lawal has debunked the purported news making the rounds that two Osun communities of Ife and Modakeke are currently at war. The Honorable commissioner stated this in a release signed by him and obtained by Ife City Blog on Monday. Alhaji Eniafe, in the statement gave the assurance of the peaceful atmosphere between the two communities and urged the public to disregard crisis rumours as being circulated on social media and unverified sources.
The commissioner specifically made reference to an incident of late night Sunday 16th of May 2021 in which sporadic gunshots were heard at some locations in between the two communities rumoured to be a break out of communal crisis.
According to him, the presence of some criminal elements whom he described as crisis vultures who benefit from such situations is not in doubt and therefore urged residents to be weary and vigilant of them with in a bid to fishing them out for appropriate legal actions against them.
"Against the speculations making the rounds that war/crisis/battle/feud broke out in the peaceful community of Ile-ife and Modakeke late in the evening yesterday Sunday 16th of May, 2021 as gathered on Social Media and other unconfirmed sources, the basic truth is that Ile-ife/Modakeke axis is peaceful and there is nothing like communal crisis here.
"Being the Commissioner of Home Affairs and a Prince from Ile-ife, I sleep more in Ile-ife than in Osogbo just to ensure I see to the sustenance of the enduring peace we'd enjoyed here for more than two decades since the last fracas. HIM Babatunde Ogunwusi also have a positive influence in assuring same.
"I got a report late in the night that there was sporadic gunshots somewhere at Ife/Modakeke boundaries bothering on attacks between our people to which I took immediate steps to confirm the true situation and around 1am I went out to palace of our Royal Father Ooni of Ife who assures us that the two towns are not against each other in anyway or on any note and he could assure us of that based on his communication with Ogunsua of Modakeke.
"I thereafter personally mobilised Ife youths led by Alhaji Ayoola Adegboyega Dauda popularly known as Awise and also reached out to Modakeke youths too and in unison both group acquiesced for peace saying they are not fighting each other while they are on surveillance for anyone who want to cause trouble between the communities and when caught shall not be spared of strong punitive measures however they both reported of some bandits armed with guns in the night who sporadically shot into the air to scare people away with the intention to loot their belongings somewhere in Modakeke. These are not Ife People nor Modakeke indigenes.
"I make bold to say that it is high time we sent out of our midst those who are crisis vultures who feed fat and bank on crisis. Oonirisa Jingbinni bii ate Akun HIM Eniitan Babatunde Ogunwusi is for peace as His majesty reiterates regularly,Ife youth are disposed to peace and from our fellowship with Ogunsua of Modakeke and Modakeke youth also are not interested in war with Ife or with any other community", the statement read in part.
He therefore warned social media and general online users to desist from spreading fake and unverified news or information based on the security and social implications such can pose in the affected areas while also giving a strong warning to those planning on causing mayhem between the two communities to back out or get ready to face the full wrath of the law.
"And I must hereby warn the Social Media users especially most of them who are not resident in Ile-ife or Modakeke and do not have verified information to desist from festering crisis by propagating unconfirmed news but I must inform them that it if they fail to heed the call,their plans of crisis/war here shall never fly because the youth and people of the communities are peace-loving and are not ready to give room for any feud.
"As a former Chairman of Ife East LGA,we know how we managed peaceful atmosphere in our place here and more importantly I have communicated with the Governor, His Excellency Isiaq Gboyega Oyetola, and His Excellency gave out strong leaning to peace and he implored me to make all Local/customized effort to ensuring that all media and avenues are explored to quell unnecessary confusion and crisis while he promised to send a strong delegations to our communities immediately for pragmatic identification with our people during this time of anxiety.
"I am using this opportunity to warn, on the authority of Oonirisa of Ile-ife, Ogunsua of Modakeke and Osun State Governor, any person or group who want to embark or plan to disturb the peace of Ifeland and Osun State to be prepared for due wrath of the law", the commissioner said.
Post a Comment
COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Comments entered here belong to their makers and do not in any way reflect or represent the views of Ife City Blog, its owners or Staff.