Osun

Land Dispute: How Osun Govt ‘Negligence’ Reignited Egbedi’s Attacks On Iloba Community

ByYusuf Oketola

PublishedMay 8, 2026

As Many Injured, Properties Damaged
Police Accused Of Complicity
Efforts Ongoing To Unite The Communities – Govt

There seems to be no end in sight to the ongoing land dispute between Egbedi and Iloba towns in Egbedore Local Government Area, as attacks continue in both communities.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that the ongoing clashes between the two communities has persisted in the last six years over alleged land encroachment by the Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez Olaniyi, leading to loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira.

Hence, residents of Iloba have continued to blame Oba Olaniyi, popularly known as Asemalu, for masterminding the unabated attacks on their community.

They accused Elegbedi of using armed thugs to force them out of their lands, damaging properties and destroying economic trees.

Recall that the monarch and four other persons were in 2024 remanded in the Ile-Ife Custodial Centre for alleged arson and malicious damage of a farm in Iloba town.

Akibu Abioye, Yisa Akolapo, Rasidi Ayandiran and Sarafadeen Abioye were the other defendants remanded alongside the monarch by an Osun State High Court, sitting in Ede.

Residents of Iloba and Olasape had on August 28, 2025 staged besieged the Government Secretariats, Abere in protest against the attack.

Addressing the residents of Iloba and Olosape towns during the protest, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Civil Society Engagement, Comrade Ebenezer Ige promised the swift intervention of the state government, adding that their grievances have been noted.

“Governor Ademola Adeleke is a peace-loving man. All your grievances have been noted and will be reported to him appropriately. He will take swift action on the matter,” Ige assured.

However, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the government is yet to take any action regarding their plights.

Recently, Oba Olaniyi allegedly led some thugs to the Iloba community to destroy economic trees and chased away residents who were trying to rebuild their houses after the 2024 arson allegedly carried out by the monarch.

The incident occurred on April 27, 2026.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that police officers on Monday May 4, 2026, stormed the community to make arrest of suspects in respect of a petition forwarded to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Zone 11, Osogbo by residents of Iloba on the persistent attacks on their town by the Egbedi community.

Five suspects were arrested in the process including the wife of Elegbedi, Bukola Afolabi. Others are Yisa Adeshina, Adebayo Kazeem, Taofeek Ajibola and Rasheed Ajani.

They were arraigned before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Osogbo on Tuesday on a fourteen-count charge bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, forcible entry, assault and possession of dangerous weapons.

But they were released on bail by the presiding Magistrate, Dr. Olusegun Ayilara in the sum of N5,000,000 and one surety each.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that two persons were again attacked in Iloba after police left the community by suspected thugs from Egbedi. The victims are, Azeez Yusuf and Rasheedat Yusuf. They sustained degrees of injuries while their home was also vandalised.

The victims are currently receiving treatment at a private hospital in Ede.

Narrating their ordeal during a visit to the hospital by OSUN DEFENDER, the couple stated that they were attacked inside their house at Olosape via Iloba at around 2pm by residents of Egbedi.

“When the crisis began, we started scampering for safety. Suddenly, I saw about 20 people approaching my house. They mobbed my wife and I. It took the intervention of the police and operatives of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) to rescue us,” the couple stated.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER during a protest on Wednesday, a community leader in Iloba, Imam Muslimdeen Sodiq, accused Oba Azeez of fuelling the ongoing crisis in the area.

Imam Sodiq alleged that the monarch has been doing everything possible to forcibly take over their land by causing havoc and sponsoring harm thugs to displace them from their homes. He also accused the police of complicity.

“The Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez popularly known as Asemalu has been victimising us in the Iloba community for the last six years. He has been forcing us out of our homes by using harm thugs to chase us out of our land.

“We can no longer come to this time without the aid of security agencies over the fear of attack. Our women and children have become refugees in neighbouring towns. The Elegbedi destroyed everything we have.

“Property worth millions of naira has been destroyed while many of our people are still missing. The government has turned deaf ears to our plights. We have sent a series of petitions to the police both at the state command and Zone 11 but the crisis still persists,” he stated.

During the protest, women and children, armed with placards with different inscriptions called on Governor Ademola Adeleke and security agencies to wade into the crisis to prevent a full-blown attack.

They maintained that they can no longer sleep in the community with their two eyes closed, noting that some of their people are still missing.

Meanwhile, efforts to speak to Oba Olaniyi have not yielded success as at the time of this report.

But the Special Adviser to Governor Adeleke on Security, Mr Samuel Ojo, said the state government is doing everything possible to unite the two communities.

Ojo stated this in a telephone conversation with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday.

He said: “The government is looking into the matter at the moment. Though, we don’t know what the genesis of the crisis was until the matter aggravated when we learnt the police had arrested some people in the area. However, the government will not fold its arms and let some people disrupt the peace of the state. We are doing everything possible to unite the warring communities so they can continue to live in peace.”

Also, the The Osun Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi told OSUN DEFENDER that the Deputy Commissioner of Police has directed the DPO in charge of Ido-Osun to maintain peace in the areas.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Police has directed the DPO of Ido-Osun that he should make sure there is no breakdown of law and order in the area,” Ojelabi stated.

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.