Ifon/Ilobu: Uncle Narrates How Admission Seeking Nephew Was Killed, Burnt By Hoodlums

THE communal clash between Ifon and Orolu communities in Irepodun and Orolu local governments area of Osun State has no doubt left wounds in the hearts of the victims and their families. 

The communal clash which started last month on land disputes led to deaths, scores of people sustaining varying degree of injuries, as well as leaving properties worth millions of naira destroyed. 

When the matter finally laid to rest andpeace hopefully returns to the communities, families and victims of the deadly clash will recount their ordeals for years to come.

One of the early victims of the clash was an admission seeker, Qudus Ibraheem, who was burnt after being killed by suspected hoodlums on September 17, 2023, at Olokanla’s compound. 

Okanla is located very close to Ilobu in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.

Ibraheem was allegedly killed by the gun-bearing men who traced his uncle, Prince Jimoh Qadri, to their family house. 

Narrating how his nephew was killed, Qadri while speaking with newsmen, said the assailants had gone to his house but met his wife and children at home and demanded his whereabouts, shooting indiscriminately. 

He noted that some of the armed men who were about 50 in number put on hoods, adding that his wife was able to identify one of the assailants who did not cover his face.

According to him, “I left my house early that day, but my wife suddenly called and informed me that some people had invaded the house. She said the invaders were shooting indiscriminately. When I asked her who they were, she said that they were many and she ended the call.

“Later, I called her back and she explained that about 50 people had invaded our house in Okanla. According to her, some of the invaders covered their faces, while others did not cover their faces. My wife was able to identify one of them who did not cover his face and walked barefoot and another who also walked barefoot.

“While they were shooting into the air in front of my house, my wife pleaded with them to stop and promised them that she would open the door and enable them to come out. They then stopped shooting and my wife opened the door and came out. They told her to go on her knees and she obeyed them.

“She was manhandled. They asked her about my whereabouts and she told them that she did not know where I went that morning. They ordered those in the house to come out, so Jamiu, my younger brother, my newborn baby, my first child, and another person came out of the house. There were five occupants in the house.”

Speaking further, the deceased’s uncle said after waiting for him for a long time, the assailants vandalised his house and left for his family house where the late Qudus was killed. 

He stated further: “They waited for me to return but that didn’t happen, so they vandalised the house, damaged the doors, and left for my father’s palace. The palace is our family house but my father, the late Olokanla of Okanla, used the building as his palace when he was alive. I used to go to the building every morning to offer prayers. 

“So, after waiting for me to return to my house and not seeing me, they decided to proceed to my father’s palace. My car was parked outside the building and the son of my elder brother, Ibraheem Qudus, who was an admission seeker, was sleeping inside the house when the assailants got to the building. 

“Qudus was killed, his body was kept in the trunk of the car that they met on the premises and the house and car were set ablaze.”

Qadri who noted that he was the one that encouraged the late Qudus to come home and seek admission into the Osun State University, admitted regretting his decisions. 

“I regretted asking him to relocate back home. I never knew it would end this way. I had good intentions.

“His mother was really sad. It is painful to lose someone dear in such a cruel way. The perpetrators are not human; they are unfit to live among people. She called me when heard the news that the palace was attacked. I told her to return home. When she got home and saw what happened, she asked about her son. She later saw the burnt corpse of the boy and the car. It was difficult to console her”, said Qadri.

Qadri however, said the police were yet to arrest anyone in connection with the death of his nephew, calling on the leadership of the state police not to let Qudus’s death be in vain.

He said: “As of October 2, no one had been arrested in connection with the incident. I went to the police state command to write a statement a day after the incident happened. My wife, who saw the perpetrators, also went to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo to write a statement. 

“Since then, we have not heard anything about it. None of those who perpetrated the crime have been arrested. I believe if anyone had been arrested, the police would have informed us but there has been no word from them. We plead with the police to act on our complaint. The perpetrators may do something similar next time if they are not checked now.”