The Ekiti State Police Command on Tuesday said they had begun investigations into an attack by armed hoodlums suspected to have come from a neighbouring town in Kwara State on the secretariat of Ilejemeje Local Government Area the state and some residents of Eda Oniyo, the council headquarters.
There was tension in Eda Oniyo, after hoodlums from the neighbouring community beat up residents, vandalised vehicles, set ablaze motorcycles and vandalised the Ilejemeje Local Government Secretariat earlier on Tuesday morning.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, said that the police had deployed their personnel to the area and that normalcy had been restored.
Abutu said, “We (police) heard of the attack and we have already deployed our men to that axis. Normalcy has returned to the place.
“Investigation into the incident has commenced as directed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, to fish out the perpetrators,” the police spokesperson said.
Earlier, the traditional ruler, the Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola, had told our correspondent on the telephone that one of the injured farmers in the attack was receiving medical attention in a hospital.
Oba Awolola said, “People from Obbo-Ayegunle, a Kwara State community, have been farming on our land, but the government of Ekiti State wants to use the land for youths and deployed equipment there preparatory to beginning work. That was what provoked them to attack us.
“They came on bikes. I was even at my farm at that time, they went to vandalise our (Ilejemeje) local government secretariat and then attacked some of our people who were already at their farms. Cars parked at the roadside were vandalised, and three motorbikes were set ablaze. One of the farmers beaten has been hospitalised,” the monarch said.
The traditional ruler, who said tension was already building up in the community, noted that the state government, following the incident, had appealed for calm and advised residents against any reprisal.
“The government has sent soldiers and policemen to the community. They pleaded with our people not to retaliate. Soldiers and policemen are still at the council secretariat now. I learnt that Amotekun would join in the security endeavour too.”
Our correspondent gathered that the Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Mr Alaba Dada, who expressed shock over the incident, confirmed that security agents had been mobilised to the town to douse the tension.
Dada said there was a need for the Ekiti and Kwara state governments to meet to settle the land dispute in the interest of peace and harmonious relationship.
