Ibese bloody clash: Different versions trail mayhem

The Tuesday clash said to have claimed unconfirmed number of deaths in Ibese community located in Yewa North local government area of Ogun state   has been linked to two separate causes.

Penpushing reports that, the a version said the cause was as a result of misunderstanding between commercial motorcyclists over sudden increase in the tickets being used to them from N600 to N800, but another source it was as a result of land dispute between Hausas and host community.

The report also recorded a conflicting report of deaths, with one saying that three people were killed, while another source claimed seven deaths were recorded, but the two sources confirmed burning of some trucks belonging to Dangote cement company, as well as number of shops and properties destroyed.

Penpushing further reports that, a source said  the fight which broke out was traced to controversy over increment of tickets issued to the motorcyclists from N600 to N800, a development which escalated to communual crisis

The source said, the crisis earlier started on Monday following disagreement between a motorcyclist and an official of the motorcyclists union trying to sell ticket to one of the Hausa motorcyclist.

Penpushing reports that, the Hausa was alleged to have beat the union official, and in retaliatory measure, the attack degenerated to bloody, as many people were injured as well as  properties  which include shops were destroyed.

The source from another eyewitness said the issue was not about motorcyclists, explaining that it was about a particular parcel of land around cement plant that the indigenes want to make use as a market.

Penpushing also reports that, the source said the clearing of the land has started, alleging that  the Hausas refused, and they wanted to dominate the land at all cost, a development which resulted in altercation and snowballed into violent clash

The source added that, the issue of  non availability of trailers park was also part of the crisis, as indigenes claimed the trailers disturb others business activities, hence, the host communities said enough is enough.

Penpushing reports that the indigenes claimed that each time they complained about incessant parking of the trucks, the drivers resort to fight, adding that they(indigenes) have on several occasion complained on the worrisome development

The host community also alleged that the military men came to Ibese are in support of Dangote drivers against the host communities, alleging that   they(soldiers) came into Ibese township and shot someone to death, adding that the  identification card of one of the military fell which they claimed was in their custody as at the time of filing this report.

Penpushing further reports that, a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly representing Yewa North 1 State Constituency, Hon Adeyanju Awoso while responding to the ugly development lamented that, the indigenes have being victims of violence from the Hausa residents

“So many problems are confronting our people in Ibese, the way they are treating our people is very bad. Can you imagine that as big as that plant is, the largest in Africa, it doesn’t have a trailer park? Assuming it had a trailer park, their trucks that were burnt would not have been burnt.

“Our governor and Dangote himself need to address this issue urgently.Meanwhile, from the report I had, the youths in the community got angry after the military, who visited the community started shooting anyhow. Specifically, they killed an innocent man sitting in front of his house.”

Penpushing also reports that, the lawmaker  said he had informed the Secretary to the Ogun  State Government as well as the Governor’s Chief of Staff about the unfortunate  incident, and also planning to see the Commissioner of Police for a round discussion.

“Another reason why issues like this have continued to degenerate is because there is no traditional ruler in Ibese and this issue had been before the government for the past one year. Ibese needs a monarch and that should be installed as early as possible, so that little issues will stop degenerating”, he pointed out

Penpushing reports that, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi  when contacted , confirmed the incident, but  declined to speak on the number of casualties.

“The issue is currently under control. It was a minor struggle that had snowballed into a serious crisis. They said the unions increased their tickets fee from N600 to N800 and that was how the crisis started. But how it then turned into Hausa and Yoruba crisis is what I don’t know.

“But, we are on top of the matter. The situation has been brought under control. Our men are still there as we speak. We are monitoring the situation, our men are still on the ground there. In fact, the commissioner of police, Director DSS, commander of Amotekun, among others, have all visited the scene  and more peace has returned to the area” he said.

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