Kolapo Alimi Denies Deploying Fake Soldiers In Ifon-Ilobu-Erin Clash, Demands Apology
Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, has denied allegations that he deployed fake soldiers to Ilobu amid the ongoing communal clash involving Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin, describing the claim as “a lie taken to the extreme of great mischief.”
Alimi, in a statement on Monday, condemned the violence and called for peace, saying, “The killings and destructions in the concerned communities are uncalled for because we are brothers and sisters. We have an age-long relationship of intermarriages.”
Reacting to the claim made by Tairu Babatunde, the Public Relations Officer of the Ilobu Descendant Union (IDU), Alimi stated, “It is quite surprising and astonishing that some people will deliberately be out, as a result of mischief and other reasons, particularly politics, to malign my person and integrity.”
He accused political opponents in Ilobu of trying to blackmail him since the Ifon-Ilobu conflict escalated last year.
“Some politicians from the opposition in Ilobu, hiding under the name of fighting for Ilobu’s interest, started blackmailing me as the one supporting Ifon against Ilobu,” he said.
Alimi highlighted his contributions to Ilobu’s development, recalling his decade-long service as a teacher at Ilobu Grammar School and his role in securing government jobs for Ilobu indigenes.
“With all humility and modesty, I make bold to say that I have assisted many Ilobu indigenes despite the fact that I am not an indigene of the town,” he said.
While demanding a public apology from Babatunde, Alimi urged an end to the politicisation of the crisis.
He sympathised with victims of the clashes and appealed for calm, stressing the need for peace among the warring communities.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
