Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Two persons have been reportedly killed in Ire-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State over attempts to stop the Ogun Onire festival by government due to COVID-19.
A vehicle belonging to the town’s monarch, Oba Victor Bobade, was said to have been set ablaze on Sunday, by some irate youths, who were desirous to have the festival celebrated over the action taken to halt the festival.
Governor Kayode Fayemi, had in an attempt to stop the spread of Coronavirus in Ekiti gave an order stopping the celebration of traditional festivals in the state.
In an attempt to enforce the COVID-19 precautionary directives, the Onire was said to have told the Ogun adherents to shelve this year’s celebration, which allegedly pitted him against the worshippers.
The crisis, which had polarised the town into two factions, started on Sunday and snowballed into a full scale war yesterday, which prompted the Police Commissioner, Mr. Tunde Mobayo to draft policemen to the beleaguered town.
It was gathered that the victims were allegedly hit by stray bullets fired while making attempts to quell the raging crisis that paralysed business activities for a whole day.
A source said the town was currently boiling as relatives of victims have continued to protest the killing.
“We have been having serious battle in the town since our monarch urged the Ogun Onire worshippers to stop the festival this year. And the crisis between the factions loyal to the Oba and the worshippers led to the death of the victims.”