Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has again imposed a 6 pm to 6 am curfew on Ilobu and Ifon communities, following renewed hostilities involving the towns.
He also raised a joint task force and deployed security agents, including soldiers, to the warring communities.
The governor announced its decision in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Tuesday.
Militias from Ilobu and Ifon communities had resumed fighting in villages at the border of Osun and Oyo States on Monday.
Police confirmed the death of two persons and the destruction of property in the resurgent crisis.
Before the latest crisis, Adeleke had in October last year imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the two communities after the breakout of bloody clashes.
The curfew was however lifted in December following the return of peace to the area.
Trouble started again on Monday, resulting in many residents fleeing.
In a statement on Tuesday, the government said, “Premised on the review of the security situation, His Excellency Senator Ademola Adeleke, in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state, has approved that the 6 pm to 6 am curfew be imposed with immediate effect.
“The Osun State government should set up a joint task force of all stakeholders in the warring communities, which should include traditional chiefs of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun with immediate effect.
“That a high-power stakeholders meeting will be held with all traditional chiefs and rulers from the three communities with government officials and all security chiefs in attendance. That a contingent of all security personnels, comprising the Army, police, Civil Defence, be deployed to the warring communities with immediate effect”.
Meanwhile, Osun Police Command said its operatives had arrested two suspects in connection with the communal clashes between Ifon and Ilobu.
A statement by the command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, while calling for calm, noted that operatives had been deployed to the area to restore peace.
“Unfortunately, two persons lost their lives to the incident and the corpses have been deposited in the mortuary at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital.
“Meanwhile one Mojeed Oyewumi Alani ‘M’ and one other who were arrested with weapons and criminal charms by police operatives for their role in the communal clash have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation”, Opalola said.
