Police in Osun State say every person involved in the Sunday fracas between Muslims and Traditional Worshipers, where a 25 years old man was killed will face the wrath of the Law no matter how highly placed.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olawale Olokode stated this while commenting on the matter in Osogbo.
Mr. Olokode who noted that conflicts relating to religion must be handled with caution and seriousness to avoid backlash said the outfit had commenced investigation into the matter.
The police boss who stated that there had been disagreement of that nature between the Egungun worshipers and the Kamorudeen mosque, blamed the parties for not obtaining police permit before embarking on such procession.
Recall that on Sunday, 27th of June at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, members of the Kamorudeen Islamic faith were holding a prayer in their mosque,with canopies placed the mosque at Oluode Aranyin street,around Itaolookan in Osogbo, while followers of Esubiyi Masquerade were also on procession along same route.
Reports had it that altercation ensued between adherents of the two faith leading to a bloody clash where a twenty five years old man, Moshood Salawudeen from Baale’s compound Iwo was shot dead and thirteen others sustained injury.
The deceased, Moshood Salawudeen was until his death the Baba Ijo of the Kamorudeen Mosque where the fracas occurred.
However, there have been different tales narrated by the two sides since the incidence occurred, with each truing to dominate the media space.
When Radio Nigeria visited the Mosque on Tuesday morning, residents were engaged in their normal activities, the Tailor, hairdresser shops and Auto mechanic workshop were in full operations.
One of the residents whom our correspondent interacted with refused to give his name but gave a short account of what he witnessed,saying, ” the Muslims put canopies outside their mosque and were praying when the procession of the Esubiyi Masquerade passed through the place, but chased back by the Muslims faithful”.
The witness explained that the Masquerade followers returned back with more number of followers and a free for all ensued and in the process gunshots rented the air, forcing every one to flee, while the victims were attended by their co worshipers.
However, the Chief Imam of the Kamorudeen Mosque, Alhaji Qosim Yunus who admitted that the two groups had issues which had led to litigation in the past said they were holding prayers for peace in Nigeria when the Masqueraders stampeded them, leading death and injuries.
Reacting to the issue, the custodian of the Esubiyi Masquerade Fashola Esuleke who said his father, Chief Kayode Esuleke owned the masquerade alleged that members of the Islamic society provoked the crisis as they attacked their peaceful possession, attempting to undress the Masquerade.
Fashola Esuleke explained that the Masquerade had gone to pray for a family member in the area, passing through the mosque in company of four policemen but were attacked by the Muslim worshipers who threw pebbles at them and attempted to remove the masquerade’s veil.
Meanwhile, the government of Osun state has appealed to the two sides to give peace a chance.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mrs Funke Egbemode, the government urged the police to fish out those responsible for the mayhem.
The government delegation led by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Alhaji Binuyo Abdulahi later visited the surviving victims, including a twelve year old boy at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo and pledged to foot the medical bills.
Adenitan Akinola
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