Conflict: Ondo Community Cries out as Curfew Bites Hard

The Ikale community in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday lamented “the high level of hardship that the residents of Agoalaye town in the area were being subjected to” due to the 24- hour curfew imposed on the community since July 18, 2019.

The state government had imposed a 24-hour curfew on Agoalaye community following the communal clash that broke out between Araromi Obu and Ikale communities which claimed four lives while houses and vehicles were also destroyed.

The community in a statement signed by  the Chairman and Secretary of Ikale Central Organisation (ICO), Mr. Bayo Ehinmosan and Akinyemi Ayebimo  respectively, lamented that both economic and social lives of the people had been paralysed.

While commending the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for setting up a panel of enquiry into the crisis, the ICO said the curfew which had impeded movement of the Agoalaye residents would not allow level playing ground in efforts to resolve the crisis.

The ICO said since the imposition of the curfew, only one side of the conflict (Araromi Obu) has the advantage of presenting documents to the panel, while the government action has made living almost impossible for the Ikale residents.

"Many of our people have been forced to scatter in different locations while those remaining at Ago Alaye are under the siege of policemen who are enforcing the curfew under the pain of regular punishment and unending arrests and incarceration.

"On the other side, their aggressors in and from Araromi Obu have been living their normal lives and attending to the committee set up by the state governor.

"We therefore appeal to our governor to put an end to the curfew and the siege on us so that the affected persons can resume their normal lives as well as prepare and present their case to the committee just like their aggressors.

"Today, while the Araromi Obu aggressors are free to prepare their position for presentation before the committee, the Ikale victims are languishing in prison custody. Justice and fairness can certainly not be served in this kind of setting," ICO said.

The organisation alleged that 16 persons, all Ikale people, including an 89-year-old man, have been arrested and remanded in prison custody.

It was also alleged that soldiers who were drafted to the area of conflict arrested 10 Araromi Obu men with guns and handed them over the police.

ICO, however, alleged that not only are the arrested men roaming free, the petition the Ikale people wrote to the state Commissioner of Police was never investigated.

The group said: "We enjoin our governor to ensure that those detained are released to prepare and participate at the sitting of the committee.

"Another fair act for the governor to do is to insist that the police must investigate those arrested by the soldiers with weapons and those violent aggressors identified and mentioned in the petition which Ikale people presented to him (Governor) on the crisis, before the sitting of the committee commences.”

However, in his reaction, Akeredolu on Tuesday directed that the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on Ago Alaye community be relaxed forthwith.

The governor's directive was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, stating that the new curfew regime would henceforth be dusk to dawn.

Ojogo said the governor has similarly directed the release of all those arrested and detained by the police in the wake of the crisis, noting that the directive affects only those whose arrests have no direct bearing and connection with crimes associated with the violence.

"The governor, while expressing his deep appreciation to the law enforcement agencies, especially the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army for their efforts in restoring peace, law and order, urged them to intensify efforts to heighten their investigations, especially where there are clear and brazing infractions against the law," Ojogo said.