Ife communities in looming boundary crisis

From Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo
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The Moro and Yakoyo communities in Ife North Local Government are  brewing in palpable tension over boundary lines and nomenclature.

The two communities have been at loggerheads over boundary lines , which has resulted to incessant fracas that have claimed lives and properties.

The former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) was fingered as the brain behind the latest crisis which started since last week.

The National President of Moro Progressive Union, Elder Femi Ogundele, at a press conference on Monday alleged that the skirmish started when some people identified to be Akinrinade’s aides were seen cleaning the name of the town from signboards erected on Moro land.

He said when the people were challenged, they claimed to have been acting on the directive of the retired general.

According to him, Akinrinade later surfaced and admitted to have instructed the people to carry out the assignment.

” When he was confronted, he claimed that since he had paid for those portions of land he is presently occupying,  he has the right to change the name of the area despite falling within Moro community.

“He is from Yakoyo, we sold the portion of land he is presently occupying to him,and we have evidence of payment with legally backed agreement.

Ogundele said the issue was later settled with the intervention of Onimoro of Moro, Oba Abidoye Oyeniyi and the General’s elder brother, who facilitated a peace meeting.

“But to our utter dismay, few hours after the truce, we started hearing gunshots and before we realised what was happening, a young man had been shot dead.

“As if that was not enough, the assailants came to our palace again around 10pm and started shooting sporadically, they eventually succeeded in breaking the palace’s gate and vandalised many cars parked  within the premises.

” The Commissioner of Police had to come around with her men before the situation could be brought under control, it was really a nightmare for our community”, Ogundele said.

He therefore appealed to security agencies to beef up security around the town to prevent further breakdown of law and order.