Annual Festival, Obaship Birthed Gun Battle In Ifedore , Residents Scamper For Safety – Details.
Information reaching thenewkingdom have it that two warring factions engaged in gun battle this weekend during the annual yam festival in lbule- Soro, in the lfedore council area of Ondo state.
It was disclosed that the festival was consequently disrupted as residents both old and young scampered for safety when supporters of the monarch, the Olubule of lbule-, Oba Ogunlade, reportedly engaged supporters of the other faction against the monarch in a gun battle.
According to the sources, the monarch, Oba Ogunlade, had fixed the new yam festival on August 25 to coincide with the first anniversary of his coronation, but this did not go down well with some of the indigenes who believed there was a particular date for the celebration, which cannot be changed.
It was also reported that ”the anti-Onibule families in the town decided to hold their New Yam festival on Friday, the usual date they claimed was the actual date the tradition of the town stipulated”.
The source further disclosed that there had been palpable tension in the community when both the monarch and families fixed different dates for the New Yam festival in the community.
Numerous believe shows that there had been no love lost between the monarch and some indigenes who claimed that the process that led to his emergence was fraudulent and dragged the monarch before the Court and the case is pending at the appellate court.
“The development caused palpable tension in the community when both the monarch and the families who fixed different dates for the New Yam festival in the community”. He said.
However, the source said indigenes of the community had set out for the celebration before a detachment of security personnel arrived the town and dispersed them.
He alleged that the security personnel were in the community at the invitation of the monarch, who did not want the festival to be held.
“This is to inform you that there has been a serious crisis in Ibule Soro since yesterday (Friday ) around 12:16 pm till present now. This is beyond control as the police invaded us shooting sporadically, terrorizing the entire community”.
“They teargas every nook and cranny, and this is seriously affecting the age people, even the young generation, many were in the hospital just because of this act”.
“The security people came, shooting sporadically and firing tear gas at everyone in sight. They even fired tear gas into various houses where we have aged people. They broke into several houses and arrested people”.
“As I speak, many indigenes are receiving treatment in various hospitals while police have arrested many youths too”.
” We do not know that celebrating the new yam festival has become a crime. We were celebrating without any problem until the security people came.”
“Several indigenes of the town have been arrested and taken to the police station at Igbara-Oke, the headquarters of the council area”.
When contacted, the police spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, denied the allegation that the police came to the community to take sides in the dispute.
“Ibule people had internal crisis that has been on for a while, the command had earlier invited the warring parties to sheath their sword and embrace peace , while the aggrieved were advised to seek legal redress”. Odunlami said
Source added that ” Unfortunately, the crisis degenerated yesterday so the Police had to come in to avoid total breakdown of law and order”.
