Communal Clash: Ilobu Chief In Police Custody Over Alleged Murder Of Ifon Indigene
- As Suspect Allegedly Cut Off Victims Head, Hands, Leg
The Baale of Ayedaade community in Ahoro Afin area, Ifon-Osun, Chief Tajudeen Oderinde, has been arrested over the alleged killing of one Lukman Akorede, an indigene of Ifon-Osun.
Oderinde is one of the chiefs of the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Oderinde allegedly ordered the killing of Akorede, a staff of Orolu local government after the deceased was apprehended by some hoodlums in the area on Wednesday morning.
OSUN DEFENDER reports Ifon-Osun, Ilobu and Erin communities renewed their clash over a boundary dispute last week Friday.
Following the deadly clash on Friday, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, invited the monarchs of the three communities, where a peace pact was signed with a threat to suspend the monarchs if the violence continued.
Sources told OSUN DEFENDER that Akorede, who had a house at Ahoro Afin, Ifon Osun, a border area with Erin and Ilobu, left home when the trouble started on Friday and moved to his family house in Ifon.
However, a friend of the deceased, whose house, is also in Ahoro Afin, was torched during the violent clash but ran away for safety, beckoning on Akorede to follow him to the house on Wednesday morning to see if he could get some clothes for his children.
The two friends, alongside two other people, went to pick up the clothes, but were allegedly ambushed by some hoodlums who arrested and took them to Oderinde.
On getting there, the sources said the community chief allegedly ordered the killing of Akorede while the other three Ifon indigenes were asked to be taken to Olobu’s palace.
However, they were intercepted by the anti-kidnapping squad of the Osun State Police Command which arrested and took them to the state Criminal Investigation Department, where they informed the police about Akorede’s murder.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that security agencies, which included soldiers and police officers, went to the community chief’s house but did not find Akorede’s corpse.
However, the deceased’s dismembered body was found in a shrine near the community chief’s house, a development that led to the arrest of the community chief and some other people.
A family source who does not want his name in print while narrating how the incident happened said after killing the victim, the community chief allegedly dismembered his body.
According to the source and pictures obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, Lukman’s head, hands, and left leg were cut off while his intestine was also removed.
The source alleged that, “Yesterday, Lukman Akorede, a staff of Orolu Local Government who is not armed and a gentle person, was killed gruesomely by Ilobu people.
“It was his friend, Gideon whose house was burnt down by Ilobu people that called on him to follow him to Ahoro Afin area where his house was located to get some clothes for his children. Lukman’s house is also in that area. It is a border area with Erin and Ilobu.
“Since the trouble started last week, they had vacated their houses and came to stay at their family houses in Ifon. So, Gideon, Akorede, and two other friends went to Ahoro Afin, but they were waylaid by some hoodlums from Ilobu who rounded them up and took them to Chief Oderinde’s house.
“One getting there, the chief ordered that they should kill Akorede and asked his boys to lead the other three people to the palace of Olobu. However, on their way to the palace, they were stopped by an Anti-kidnapping squad who arrested and took them to the state Criminal Investigation Department, Osogbo.
“It was there they told the policemen that one of them had been killed and the police called their colleagues in Ifon to go and confirm. Soldiers and other security agents went to the area to search for Akorede’s body. They found his body at a ritual den, and his head, his two hands, and his left leg were cut off. Also, his intestine was removed.
“The Baale and some other people were arrested and have been taken to the state CID. All we are calling for is justice. Akorede did not deserve to die. He is a hardworking man whose life was cut short by these evil people.”
When contacted to confirm the arrest, the spokesperson for Osun State Police Command, ASP Akeem Adeoye, said he has not been briefed on the matter.
Adeoye promised to get back when he has more information on the matter.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
