No fewer than two people were confirmed dead on Tuesday following a chieftaincy tussle in the rustic community of Araromi-Owu, near Ago Owu in the Ayedade Local Government Area of Osun State. The crisis, which began three days ago, escalated after the election of a new traditional head of town.
According to sources, the unrest erupted when an indigene of Orile Owu was appointed Baale (traditional head) of Araromi-Owu, a decision met with strong opposition from a faction of residents who are natives of Ibadan. The dissenting group claimed they were entitled to the throne, leading to heightened tensions within the agrarian community.
The situation deteriorated on Tuesday when the community head-designate entered seclusion for kingship rites. The aggrieved faction reportedly deployed thugs to instigate chaos.
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A resident described the ensuing violence: “This led to shooting, and they attacked each other. They have killed one security operative. They have razed houses, made bonfires on roads, and destroyed property, including cars.”
The Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Barrister Samuel Ojo, confirmed the fatalities to newsmen. He stated, “The crisis had started like three or four days before. We didn’t know that it would snowball into a big crisis like this.
The governor has directed all service chiefs to draft their men to the town. We are on top of the situation. Only two casualties have been recorded.”
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Osun Police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, also confirmed the crisis, noting that mobile police units have been deployed to restore peace and order in the community.
As authorities work to quell the violence and restore normalcy, the underlying issues surrounding the chieftaincy dispute remain unresolved, highlighting the complex nature of traditional leadership and community rights in the region. Further updates are expected as investigations and peacekeeping efforts continue.