3 Feared Dead as Hoodlums Attack Traders in Ede

Three persons are feared dead as a fight broke out in Ede, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State when thugs allegedly attacked some Hausa traders operating in the Sabo Community area of the town.

The crisis according to a resident of the town, who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity, broke out when suspected thugs went to attack the Hausa community but were repelled and two of the hoodlums were killed while one Hausa man died.

The leader of the thugs who were said to have invaded the Sabo Area, the Hausa Community, was the second-in-command to a notorious thug, identified as “Rasheed Oko-Ilu”, who the police had declared wanted over a series of criminal allegations.

Speaking further, he said it had been a while since Oko-Ilu’s boys had been going to Sabo and the Seriki called him to report his boys. 

Rasheed called his second-in-command named “Olopa” and instructed them not to go to Sabo again. 

“But he refused to listen, three days ago, Rasheed went to him in person to warn him but his second-in-command refused to listen, seeing himself as a boss who would not take instructions from anybody again”.

“Rasheed left Olopa’s place and met with Seriki. He was reported to have told the Seriki that anytime Olopa and his boys visit Sabo again, they should ensure that they arrest them but must not hand them over to the police because the police will release them. He was said to have directed that they should kill any invading thug that they arrest”.

Speaking with our correspondent, Seriki Hausa the leader of the Hausa community in Ede, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim said the thugs had been terrorising the people of the town including the Hausa Community.

Giving the account of how the incident happened, Seriki Hausa said: “The thugs attacked/clashed with the Hausa traders, not only the Hausas but the whole Sabo community because Sabo community houses the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and other tribes in Ede”. 

“The thugs came to Sabo, they were four to five in number shooting sporadically.

“The person who led the thugs is deceased now, his name is Olopa but his real name is Rasheed, we cannot say how he was killed because the police were there”.

“The situation is calm now, we thank the Osun State Commissioner of Police for the quick intervention also the OC anti-cultist, and his boys have been with us for days now to keep everything calm. We also thank Governor and the Ede community people too for the support”.

Meanwhile, Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Yemisi Opalola while speaking with our correspondent confirmed the incident. 

Mrs Opalola said some hoodlums invaded the Sabo community in Ede and seized motorcycles belonging to some Hausa residents.

“However, the people in the community resisted them leading to pandemonium in the area and in the process one person was killed”.

Mrs Opalola who said normalcy has returned to the community assured the people of the state of adequate security of lives and property.

Adenitan Akinola