At least two persons were feared dead while a score was injured in a clash between members of the Oodua Peoples Congress and some Fulani people in Ajase Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Friday.
Though sources in the town and the State Police Command could not give the details of the clash as of Friday night, unconfirmed reports gave the number of casualties in the clash as two people adding that one of the corpses was sighted beside the Central Mosque while another was killed in front of Kaara market.
Details of the clash was unknown as of Friday night as the Police Public Relations officer in the Command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, said that he was yet to get the cause of the clash.
Okasanmi, who confirmed the incident said, “Details still sketchy but no report of death yet.
“Details on the incident will be made as soon as it’s available please.”
Although the cause of the clash was not known but some of residents confided in our correspondent that the fight started at Kaara market, a weekly cow market in the town on Fridays. Both parties shot sporadically.
A source said that the clash started between the Bororo and Fulani settlers in the market and later spread to the major road while the OPC members who were returning from Osun festival in Osogbo got involved in the clash because of the gridlock on Omu-Aran/ Ilorin highway.
“I learned that the Fulani traders and the Bororo who brought cattle to the market for sale had little misunderstanding in the market but it spread to the major road. I was also informed that a Fulani herder was driving his cattle to cross the road and this precipitated the gridlock on the road.
“The OPC members who were coming from Osun festival in Osogbo got to Ajase-Ipo and ran into the traffic jam. Some of them got down from their vehicle and rushed towards the market area along the main road. It was in that process that we started hearing the sounds of gunshots.
“Machetes and other dangerous objects were also used during the clash,” the source said.
Commercial vehicles plying the highway were also attacked by the combatants, it was further gathered.
Credit: PUNCH
