The Oyo State Government had ordered the immediate closure of the Shasha market in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan following the ethnic crisis in the area on Friday.
The Ondo State Governor and Chairman of South-West Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, has called for calm in the Shasha area of Ibadan, Oyo State, where there have been violent clashes between Yoruba and Hausa communities in the past few days.
Speaking on his Twitter handle on Sunday, Akeredolu in a release, titled, “Shasha violence in Ibadan: Don’t take laws unto your hands,” urged everyone to stop the violence.
The governor said, “We note with deep concern, the most unfortunate and avoidable orgy of violence in Shasha, Ibadan. It has become very compelling for me to address all residents, in particular, the Yoruba speaking people of our region as regards recent happenings bordering on security.
“We have been known for thoroughness. We have identified with legality over the centuries; our ethos as a civilised breed of people is such that we do not identify with lawlessness, not even illegality. We do not support violence and in particular, brigandage, jungle justice, and unnecessary self-help.
“In this regard, we urge all indigenes of the South-West to sustain these values and enviable virtues by remaining law-abiding. Our resolve in this direction is not a sign of weakness; it is indeed, the strongest of all.
“In particular, while I understand the height of provocation in the light of recent happenings as regards Shasha, Ibadan, I, alongside my other brother Governors in the region are against the willful appropriation of laws unto hands.
“We note with delight, the efforts of our brother Governor, Seyi Makinde, who has taken very bold steps to stave off a further escalation of the violence by imposing curfew in the affected areas.”
The Oyo State Government had ordered the immediate closure of the Shasha market in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan following the ethnic crisis in the area on Friday.
The closure of the market was indefinite.
A number of persons have reportedly been killed in the ethnic clash.
It was gathered that the crisis broke out Thursday when a Hausa man reportedly beat up a pregnant woman who accused her of littering the frontal part of her shop. A cobbler, popularly called Adex, now deceased was said to have intervened but met his untimely death as the Hausa man allegedly hit him with a charm.
According to eyewitnesses, Adex slumped immediately and started foaming in the mouth before he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died on Friday morning.
This led to the clash on Friday and escalated into the weekend when some soldiers deployed to quell the crisis were alleged by the Yoruba community of openly supporting the Hausa people and supervising as they destroyed the belongings of Yoruba people.
Meanwhile, a combined team of Amotekun and Operation Burst drafted to the area to restore peace are still there.