Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has relaxed the hitherto 7pm to 7am curfew imposed on the Ifon and Ilobu communities in the state.
The governor on 16 January 2025, imposed a 7pm to 7am curfew on Ifon and Ilobu due to an outbreak of crisis between the communities occasioned by boundary disputes.
But having observed a gradual return of peace in the communities, the governor on Sunday relaxed the curfew to 10pm to 4am with immediate effect.
The governor’s decision was contained in a statement made available to journalists by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, on Sunday.
Adeleke, who expressed satisfaction that peace was gradually returning to the affected communities, further said security agents would continue 24-hour surveillance in the two towns.
‘Accordingly, the Governor has directed that the initial 7pm to 7am curfew imposed on the two communities by his administration in the wake of the crisis on the 16th day of January 2025 be relaxed from the hitherto 12 hours to 6 hours daily, beginning from 10pm to 4am with effect from today, Sunday 2nd day of March 2025, until total peace is seen and noted to have been returned.
‘Furthermore, Mr Governor has directed the contingent of all security personnel, including the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to continue to maintain 24-hour surveillance in the warring communities.
‘All stakeholders in the communities are further advised to cooperate with the State Government to resolve the issues amicably,’ the statement read partly.
He urged indigenes of the two communities, including their traditional rulers and other interested stakeholders, to use the period of the ongoing holy month of Ramadan to pray for lasting peace and harmony.
He also renewed his earlier appeal, warning that anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or masterminding any further breakdown of law and order to truncate the level of peace being gradually achieved in the two communities will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
