By Sodiq Lawal
There was a little tension in Ile Ife on Friday morning as the security guard in charge of securing the mining site located at Aruwa village allegedly shot dead a suspected thug for stealing gold.
The suspected thug whose identity is yet to be ascertained sources said belongs to the caucus of a notorious suspected thug in the ancient city known as Lokoose.
Our correspondent learnt that clash started when the suspected thug came to the mining site on Thursday’s night to allegedly steal gold.
A close associate to the security guards who does not want his name on print told our correspondent that, “I am an Hausa. My friend who is also an Hausa is part of the Hausa men that are working at Aruwa as Security guards to prevent anyone from stealing the gold and they all have the approval of the Ooni.
“My friend told me this morning that the crisis started when a suspected thug from Lokoose came to steal gold. They warned him seriously but he refused. And maybe by mistake, he was shot and died this morning (Friday).”
Meanwhile, sources at Lokoose’s end said he did not send the suspected thug to steal gold.
The source, Mr. Garuba Ibrahim said, ” Lokoose didn’t send the boy to steal gold. It was when he heard that the Hausa men killed his boy, that he went with the rest of his boys to storm Sabo to revenge.
“When the Hausa men heard that Lokoose and his boys were coming to Sabo, they also picked weapons to get ready for fight. But with the swiftness of the security operatives, they were prevented from getting into Sabo area.
The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Folashade Odoro told our correspondent when contacted that, “The Commissioner of Police has deployed men to the area. The situation is under control. No panic please.”
However, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has intervened in the crisis and normalcy has returned to the ancient city.
