From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate deployment of Police Intervention and Stabilization Forces to Oyo State, towards restoring normalcy in troubled communities in the state.
The most recent crisis in the state is the communal clash at the popular Shasha community in Ibadan, Akinyele Local Government Area of the state. The crisis was triggered by the death of a cobbler, Sakirundeen Adeola, who reportedly tried to broker peace between one Hausa man and apregnant Yoruba woman lastThursday. He was reportedly hit by the Hausa and was rushed to the hospital where he died on Friday morning.
The Shasha community, which houses the popular tomatoes and pepper market, has not known peace since Friday morning as a number of lives and multi-million property have been lost to the clash that followed the death of Adeola.
The Shasha clash is between local farmers and Fulani herdsmen across the three local government areas of Ibarapa in Our State, with Igangan, one of the seven principal towns of Ibarapa as the epicentre. The intervention of a Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, brought the crisis in Ibarapaland to global attention.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and his counterpart in Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, visited Shasha community on Sunday evening and appealed for calm. Makinde had also visited Ibarapa land and also appealed for peaceful co-existence among the Yoruba and Fulani settlers.
Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, in press release yesterday explained that the deployments, consist largely, intelligence and operational assets of the force.
He said they include four units of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), seasoned operatives from the Force Intelligence Bureau and one operational/surveillance police helicopter from the Police Air-wing department.
The Intervention Force, according to him, is charged with the responsibility of reinforcing and stabilizing security in the state, and prevent further breakdown of law and order, while protecting lives and property and ultimately enhancing public safety and general security in the state.
Mba stated that the intervention force would be coordinated by a Deputy Inspector- General of Police (DIG), David Folawiyo, who is expected to mobilise all relevant stakeholders towards achieving the mandate of the squad.
“The IGP assures that the Force is committed to the safety of live and properties of the citizens. He called on the citizens and residents of Oyo State and other Nigerians to embrace peace and cooperate with the police and the security community as they redouble their efforts in ensuring that sustainable peace and security are restored to the affected areas.”
