Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has declared a 24-hour curfew in Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin Osun communities following the escalation of violent clashes in the area.
The crisis, which initially led to a 12-hour curfew, intensified on Saturday, forcing many residents—especially those from the northern part of the country—to flee their homes. Some displaced persons were spotted in Okinni, with many boarding buses to leave the affected areas.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor emphasized his administration’s commitment to restoring peace and preventing further bloodshed.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke has stepped up conflict de-escalation moves on the Ifon-Ilobu conflict, imposing a 24-hour curfew, mobilising a joint security task force, and hosting a peace deal between the two warring communities,” Rasheed stated.
Governor Adeleke reassured residents of the affected areas that his government was actively working to protect lives and properties. “We assure the people of Ilobu and Ifon that I am committed to securing their lives and properties. I have updated the state’s presidency of developments. We are on top of the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state government has raised concerns over misinformation, warning the public against sharing misleading content about the crisis.
“We seek to bring to the attention of the public that opposition elements are circulating old videos of communal conflicts in some parts of Osun State to spread false pictures of insecurity,” Rasheed noted.
He urged residents to disregard such videos, stating, “While the ongoing conflict is regrettable and while all hands are on deck to stop the violence, we inform the public to take note of the activities of fake news merchants who are digging up old videos to discredit the state government.”
