Deadly Communal Clashes Erupt in Osun Leaves 8 Dead, Homes In Ruins

In a tragic turn of events, communal clashes between the residents of Ilobu and Ifon communities in Osun State have left about eight people dead, with several houses razed to the ground. The violence erupted on Thursday, leading to a significant loss of life, destruction of property, and a wave of fear and panic among the affected residents. The conflict escalated to a point where even security operatives found it challenging to access the embattled communities, and they remained stationed at the entrances. Sadly, some of those who lost their lives during the clashes were struck by stray bullets fired by the security forces deployed to quell the unrest. Chief Leke Ogunsola, the Otun-Jagun of Ilobu, speaking on behalf of the Ilobu community, revealed that four lives, including that of an innocent baby, were lost on their side during the crisis. Meanwhile, Prince Jide Akinyooye, representing the Ifon community, disclosed that numerous houses were set ablaze during the violent attack on their town. The root cause of the conflict was traced back to a land dispute exacerbated by a gazette that ceded portions of land belonging to Ifon to Ilobu during the tenure of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Tensions simmered, and despite efforts to avoid retaliation, the situation escalated to a dangerous level. In response to the dire situation, Governor Ademola Adeleke swiftly intervened, issuing a directive that prohibited residents of both communities from accessing the disputed land. He emphasized that anyone found on the contested territory would be arrested and prosecuted. The state government has assumed control over the disputed land, and the Governor has urged community leaders to come together to seek a peaceful resolution. The crisis has forced numerous residents of Ilobu and Ifon to flee their homes in fear for their safety. The situation has also prompted the evacuation of corps members serving in the affected areas by the state government. Security personnel, including soldiers, DSS operatives, and police officers, have been deployed to the entrances of the two communities to maintain order. The violence reached such a level that a new police patrol van was burnt by the warring factions, and several police officers were injured in the line of duty. The situation is particularly challenging, as the conflicting parties have accused the police of taking sides in the dispute. To curb further escalation, the Osun State government declared a curfew in the two affected local government areas of Irepodun and Orolu. This measure aims to restore peace, protect lives, and prevent further bloodshed as authorities work to find a lasting solution to the underlying issues fueling the conflict.  

Petrol Tanker Explosion Claims 5 Lives In Delta –PPRO

The Police Command in Delta says five persons lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion in the state. The spokesman of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this to newsmen in Warri, saying the incident occurred on 1 October at Ugbenu in Ethiope West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. He said that the tanker, laden with petrol, was heading towards Benin City in the morning when the unfortunate incident happened. “In the early hours of October 1, 2023, at about 0200hrs, the Command recorded a tragic incident where a tanker, laden with petroleum product, being driven towards Benin on the Warri – Benin Road fell at Ugbenu Koko Junction. “Its content spilled into the nearby swamp and the spillage attracted a couple of youths who took advantage of the incident and started scooping fuel into jerry cans and other containers. “While they were at it, an explosion erupted and the fire from the explosion engulfed the whole area. “The fire claimed lives of five persons among the youths who had come to scoop fuel,” Edafe said. He said that several properties, including eight buses of different makes, two tankers, five trailers, two motorcycles, a Sienna space wagon and a ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car were also burnt. Edafe said that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the Oghara General Hospital’s morgue in Ethiope West. He added that police operatives attached to the Oghara division, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) at Ethiope West, had mobilised to the scene to ensure the free flow of traffic. Edafe said that the Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, Mr Wale Abass, had expressed his sympathy with the families that lost their loved ones in the incident. “It is sad that we never learn from past occurrences, since this is not the first time such incident has happened. “Nonetheless, I appeal that Nigerians should do away with greed and avoid scenes where there is an occurrence of oil spillages. “It poses a serious threat to their lives and the lives of others,” Edafe warned. 

Jigawa Records 91 Cases Of Diphtheria, 10 Deaths

Jigawa State has recorded 91 suspected cases of diphtheria in 14 local government areas and it also suspects the loss of 10 children to the childhood infection. “There has been diphtheria outbreak in the northern parts of Nigeria in the last four months. “This is especially in neighbouring Kano, Yobe, Katsina and Bauchi states,’’ Permanent Secretary, Jigawa Ministry of Health, Dr Salisu Muazu, told newsmen on at the weekend in Dutse. “About two weeks ago, we received patients that had symptoms of diphtheria in 14 local government areas bordering states that already established the infection. “The National Reference Laboratory in Abuja confirmed two of the 91 suspected samples we sent to have tested positive to diphtheria,’’ Muazu said. He added that the two confirmed samples were those from Kazaure and Jahun local government areas of Jigawa. He explained that majority of the victims were those that either did not receive complete immunisation or those that received zero dose of childhood immunisation. “In fact, in the last 10 years, we have not had diphtheria in Jigawa, but in those neighbouring states that now have the epidemic. “The reason why we have it now may be due to the COVID-19 period when healthcare services completely broke down,’’ he said. Muazu urged parents and community leaders to support and cooperate with health workers as government had concluded plans to conduct mop-up immunisation in affected local government areas. He also called on residents to promptly report persons with symptoms of diphtheria to Disease Notification Officers in the local government areas or to the nearest health facility. 

Gunmen Kill 10 Persons, Injure One In Plateau

Tragedy struck the peaceful community of Kulben in the Gindiri District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau, as a group of gunmen unleashed a horrifying attack. The assailants, in a senseless act of violence, claimed the lives of ten innocent individuals while leaving one person critically injured. The harrowing incident unfolded on a fateful Sunday night, forever altering the lives of the community’s residents. Mr. Jerry Datim, a distressed member of the community, recounted the terrifying events that transpired. “Last night, at about 8:40 p.m., some gunmen attacked Kulben community, killed 10 persons and injured one,” he painfully shared. The attackers descended upon the village, their bullets tearing through the tranquility of the night as they fired indiscriminately. Panic swept through the community as people scrambled for safety, but tragically, some were unable to escape the hail of bullets, their lifeless bodies discovered later. In the midst of the chaos, the community did what they could to alert the security forces to the unfolding tragedy. “We alerted the security personnel, but before they got there, the attackers had moved from the community,” Mr. Datim revealed. The swift and ruthless nature of the assault left little time for intervention. Despite the urgency of the situation, attempts to reach out to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo, for an official statement were met with unavailability. However, an unnamed senior police officer confirmed that the law enforcement agencies had launched a comprehensive manhunt to track down and bring the attackers to justice. Axccording to him, the full force of the law would be employed to ensure that those responsible for this heinous act faced the consequences of their actions.

4 die, 10 injured in Jigawa auto crash – FRSC

About four persons have died, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in an accident involving two vehicles on Gumel-Kano Road in Jigawa. Mr Ibrahim Gambo, the Spokesman, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, confirmed the accident in a Road Traffic Report (RTC), in Dutse on Monday. He said the accident occurred at about 12:25 a.m. when a bus had a head-on collision with an upcoming vehicle at Achauya village in Gumel Local Government Area of the state. “A commercial bus (Sharon) with registration number GML 260 XX carrying passengers was involved in a collision with a truck with registration number GUS 648 XA coming from the opposite direction. “It could be attributed to speed violation and loss of control, 14 persons, consisting of 11 males and three females were involved in the crash,” he said. He said that four male passengers were certified dead by a medical doctor at a hospital in the area while seven males and three females were receiving treatment. He advised motorists to shun night journeys and respect traffic rules to ensure safety on the road.