Palpable tension has gripped Owo following sporadic shootings between members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and people suspected to be cultists.
Reports from the ancient town yesterday said residents locked themselves in for fear of being caught in the shootout between the cultists and members of the vigilante group.
The Hope learnt that business centres have closed down while armed police men paraded the town to curb the violence.
Informed sources said the latest crisis was caused by attempts by friends and relations of cultists to avenge the death of their members allegedly killed earlier by the OPC during a shoot out in the town and at the government forest reserve.
The source told our correspondent last night that some members of the OPC including their commandant have reportedly taken into hiding as the cultists embarked on a revenge mission .
When contacted, the chairman of the local government, Mr. Olabade Adegbegi said calm has returned to the town and warned trouble makers that government will deal decisively with those fomenting crisis.
At the time of this report, six people were said to have lost their lives in the fracas while two houses at Idasen and Ijebu areas were set ablaze.