The Ido Aiyegunle community in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State has been thrown into chaos and fear following a brutal assault by gunmen believed to be linked to a lingering land dispute.
The attack, which took place on Thursday, reportedly left over 100 residents with varying degrees of injuries, while several others are feared to have lost their lives.
Eyewitnesses described the invasion as sudden and overwhelming, with the armed assailants arriving in large numbers and unleashing mayhem on the unsuspecting villagers.
“Some victims were reportedly thrown into wells and as of Thursday evening, many of them have been confirmed dead,” an eyewitness who spoke under condition of anonymity said.
“Others were allegedly abducted by the attackers, and their whereabouts remained unknown.”
It was further reported that the attackers razed multiple homes, displacing dozens of families and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
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Survivors alleged that the assailants may have come from Esa-Oke, a neighbouring community.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, revealed on Friday that the violence stemmed from a boundary dispute between Esa-Oke and Ido Aiyegunle.
“It is an ongoing boundary dispute between ESA Oke and Ido Ajegunle community,” Ojelabi said.
“I have spoken with the Divisional Police Officer. When we got information about the attack, we moved in swiftly. By the time we got there, houses have been burnt.
“Also, many lives have been lost. When the perpetrators sited the police, they fled into the bush. Our personnel heard voices coming from one of the wells in the win but rescue efforts was delalyed and four of the people brought out from the well were confirmed dead at the hospital.
“We have our personnel in the town and on ground to secure the peace.”
According to sources, this latest episode of violence is not isolated. It follows a series of earlier attacks believed to be linked to the same boundary disagreement that has plagued both communities for months.
In response to the crisis, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, visited the affected communities and promised to restore peace and ensure justice for victims of the tragic attack.
