The State Government specifically punctured media reports suggesting that it authorized the burning down of the community, saying that the allegation was far from the truth.

The State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, in a statement, said the State Government shared in the painful loss of the residents but explained that from Police reports and evaluation by the government, the waterfront community was razed by the fire incident that happened as a result of the ethic clash that occurred between the Egun and Yoruba residents within the community.

Ayorinde said while the Police succeeded in bringing to a halt the deadly clashes which occurred as a result of continued disagreement over tolling and other sundry issues, the large part of the shanties had already been torched and razed down before the combined team of fire brigade and emergency rescue officers got to the scene on the night of Wednesday, November 9th.

“It is therefore unfortunate that a few aggrieved persons and fifth columnists will choose to blame the government and law enforcement officers that rose to the occasion in ensuring that the clashes did not degenerate further and more importantly that the arson did not spread into Lekki Phase 1,” Ayorinde said.

The Commissioner said while the Otodo Gbame shanties clearly fell within the prime waterfront areas where Lagos State Government would prefer to have better development, befitting of a prime area in a mega city, it was mindful of the fundamental rights of the various residents living in the area.

According to Ayorinde, while government was not unaware of the legal tussle over the areas and the rights of citizens to stage peaceful protests, relevant agencies of government had since been deployed to provide succor and lessen the pains of the displaced people.

The statement warned both local and foreign individuals or groups that may be using the unfortunate incident to perpetrate wrong and unfounded information to desist from taking advantage of an unfortunate development and the plight of the former residents of Otodo Gbame, adding that the State Government would not be blackmailed with cheap, sensational interjections from the onerous task of better securing Lagos, improving on urban development and looking after the infrastructural needs of all residents.

The Commissioner also urged the people of the State to refrain from any act that could threaten the peace of their areas and pledged that government would continue to ensure the safety of lives and property and promote peaceful coexistence needed for speedy development of the State.

Similarly, the State Government has also urged residents especially users of social media as a source of news and social interaction to be mindful of the source of their information to avoid spreading false and unsubstantiated materials.

Ayorinde said a case at hand is the alleged brutalization and killing of a 7-year-old pilferer that reportedly happened at a certain location in Lagos being circulated on social media.

According to the Commissioner, the Lagos State Police command has duly issued a statement questioning the authenticity of the story while asking for eye witnesses or anyone with verifiable information to come forward with information as the Police continue with their investigation.

“While we condemn in its entirety every form of crime and jungle justice, it is important to plead caution whenever a human life is involved. So far, there is no indication that the dastardly act being peddled on social media happened anywhere in Lagos State or that it is a recent case.

“The Police have promised to carry out further checks and will welcome every useful information, but available information at the moment does not suggest that such killing happened last Saturday at either Orile-Iganmu or Badagry. There is no any corpse that fits the description in any area being touted; just as the location of anyone with useful information to corroborate the sad tale being peddled cannot be established,” he said.

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The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Lt Colonel Chima Obinna Egemole disclosed that “What happened on the 25 March 2016 at Ibi Local Government Council was characterised by ethno-religious crisis.”

The officer said “The incidence started by some youths throwing stones at Muslims in the mosque during Jumuat praying which later escalated to sporadic shooting but for timely intervention of troops and other sister agencies, normalcy was restored and 24 hours curfew imposed.”

Lt Colonel Egemole restated the commitment of the troops to continue to ensure the safety of the citizens as more meetings have been held with the stakeholders to resolve the crisis in the area.

Egemole said that the incident started by some youths throwing stones at Muslims in the mosque during Jumaat praying later escalated to sporadic shooting but for the timely intervention of troops and other sister security agencies, normalcy was restored and 24 hours curfew imposed.

It said that prior to the incidence, the Unit had two major peace meetings as directed by higher authorities between the stakeholders within the same week but “it seemed all that was said fell on deaf ears, but dialogue will never cease.

“We will continue to encourage the stakeholders to resolve the crisis politically and will not relent in making sure there is lasting peace in Ibi as stipulated in the Chief of Army staff Vision.

“Furthermore, measures have been put in place for more peace meetings to resolve the ongoing crisis in Ibi LGA. All stakeholders in the area are also requested to educate mostly the youths on the need for peaceful co-existence and tolerance amongst one another for the benefit of growth and sustenance.”

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Share, headquarter of Ifelodun, and Tsaragi in Edu, local government areas, have been involved in bloody land disputes for decades.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, said the curfew was with immediate effect.

The statement said a detachment of Nigerian Army has been drafted to reinforce security being provided by the Police and other para-military agencies in the area.

“The Kwara State Government warns that anyone found with illegal arms and ammunition or disrupting peace and public order in both communities will be dealt with in line with the laws of the land.

“The Kwara State Government, therefore, assures of its preparedness to deploy all lawful measures to ensure the welfare and security of all citizens”, said the statement.

The statement appealed to other communities in the state to continue to live in peace with their neighbours.

It warned that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on anyone or group found fomenting trouble in any part of the state, no matter how highly placed.

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Scores of people also sustained varying degrees of injuries while several houses were razed in the clash which broke out in the early hours of yesterday while residents were preparing to go to church.

The latest crisis is coming barely six weeks after the Jukuns and Tivs, as well as the Fulanis signed an agreement to permanently bring to an end the incessant communal clashes in the town.

The peace agreement, which was brokered by the acting governor of the state, Garba Umar, was signed on behalf of the Jukuns by the Chairman of Jukun Cultural Association, Zando Hoku, the Chairman of Tiv Cultural Association, James Nugwa, signed on behalf of the Tivs, while Mafindi Danburam, Chairman of Miyetti Allah, signed for the Fulanis.

Present at the signing of the agreement which was held on April 30 were the paramount ruler of Jukun Kingdom and Chairman of Taraba Council of Chiefs, Dr. Shekarau Angyo, and the traditional ruler of Ibi, Alhaji Abubakar Saliu Danbauro.

Sources said that yesterday’s outbreak of violence was triggered by the discovery that a shop very close to a church belonging to a Muslim was burnt, prompting the owner of the shop to immediately mobilise people to attack the man he suspected to have burnt his shop.

The attack on the man did not go down well with other residents who attempted to repel the attack, leading to full blown hostilities and the use of guns and other dangerous weapons.

The Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joseph Kwajim who confirmed the incident said that four corpses had so far been recovered while investigations into the incident were ongoing.

He however disclosed that the men of the command had succeeded in bringing the situation under control, adding that the joint team of the police and army had intensified patrols in the area. He said relative calm had been restored in the area.

Residents and eyewitnesses however told our correspondent that no fewer than 25 people were killed in the clash, just as they acknowledged the efforts of security agencies to bring the situation under control.

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The state Commissioner of Police, Dorothy Gimba, who spoke with journalists in Osogbo, described the incident was “an unfortunate clash” and said that four policemen suffered severe machete cuts while “a handful” of the law enforcement officers sustained other injuries while trying to restore order.

Gimba confirmed, however, that nobody died from the violence. “But the command has drafted a police contingent, including a patrol team, to the area to stop the fight and restore peace,” she said.

The violence followed a clash between youth groups over the renaming of an airport on May 3 after the late MKO Abiola, in Ido-Osun, Ede North/Egbedore local government areas.

According to the commissioner, “violence erupted when some disgruntled youths removed the signpost bearing `Proposed MKO Abiola International Airport and re-wrote it as Ido-Osun/Ede MKO Abiola International Airport’.”

Gimba said that the irate youths, who were armed with dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses, axes and cudgels, had earlier kidnapped the traditional ruler of Ido-Osun.

The commissioner said that the traditional ruler was held hostage in Ede, but that the police swiftly moved to the place where they rescued him.

She, however, expressed regrets that some hoodlums descended on the police and injured some of them when the law enforcement agents intervened to restore peace.

Gimba said that the command was already investigating the circumstances surrounding the clash, to bring those involved to book.

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