Palace chiefs, landlords, as well as other community leaders of Ilawo Community in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday, absorbed the Oba-elect of the town, Professor Alexander MacGregor of any culpability in the deadly attacks which occurred between street urchins and some hoodlums in the community wherein some residents were wounded.
The palace chiefs, under the leadership of the Oluwo and Osi of Ilawo town, Chief Samson Oluwole Dosunmu and Chief respectively, specifically declared that last Saturday's incidents that witnessed the hoodlums freely deploying dangerous weapons to attack against one another has no bearing with the ongoing process of coronation of MacGregor as eronously stated in some quarters.
A statement issued yesterday from the Olu of Ilawo Palace and signed by the palace's spokesman, Atanda Quosim, Ilawo Chiefs said the attack was ochestrated some urchins, who in the process of resisting some hoodlums that invaded their community for land grabbing, indiscriminately vetted their angers on whoever they sighted before the the situation was eventually brought under control by the security operatives in the area.
Atanda in the statement explained that some of the urchins, who initially sustained injuries by having one of his fingers chopped off, mobilized his colleagues for a reprisal attack which eventually snowballed into crisis.
"What happen is hoodlums clash. How can some say they were attack because they didn't support the new monarch selection? It is wrong to say that. Police are already investigating the matter".
"When some of the hoodlums discovered that the urchins were about overpowering them, they withdrew, but later mobilized their colleagues into the community and the resultant effect was the invasion of houses on sight, which made residents and other landlords scamper for safety".
"While this was on, the palace mobilized for security operatives' assistance, which later resulted in the arrest and detention of some youths of the community that came into Ilawo town to defend their community".
"The palace later got to know that the police officers that came to arrest these youths were from Alabata Divisional Headquarters and they were detained there. The mistaking identify however, prompted the Oba-elect to summon other landlords in the community and also appealed to the youths to maintain peace and not allow the situation to degenerate into a communal uprising".
Emphasizing that the attack has nothing to do with the installation of the next monarch of Orile-Ilawo community, Atanda disclosed that the Oba-elect, MacGregor, after seeking consultation within the community, has also set up a team to wade into the matter and ensure that peace continues to reign in Ilawo town.
The Ilawo palace spokesman however, stated that the Oba-elect, MacGregor appreciated the quick intervention of men of the Nigerian Police for wading into the matter, stressing the monarch will continue to push for initiatives that will make Ilawo youths highly educated, be self-reliant and have access to funds to support their respective businesses.
The Catalyst Cable
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