Osun Police Command Douses Tension Over Renewed Ife/Modakeke Crisis |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Police Command on Monday clarified that Ife and Modakeke Communities are at peace as there is no tension occasioned by any ugly incident.

The Police clarification follows claims that the two neighbouring communities have started beating war drum.

The social media have been awash with videos which showed residents of the two communities running for safety in the early hours of Sunday.

This was said to have been caused by the death, at Modakeke, of a woman, identified as Titilayo Gbadegesin, and her son Reuben, around Alapata Area three weeks ago.

Youths in the community had allegedly accused Ile-Ife community of having a hand in their death.

Following the intervention by the Police, leaders of the two communities were invited for a meeting to douse tension.

The Police has, however, doused the tension, urging residents to go about their daily activities, as there was nothing like crisis in the area.

The Police Public Relations officer in Osun state, Mr Opalola Olawoyin, in a statement said “It has become increasingly necessary to keep you abreast of the incident that occurred in Modakeke last night, 16th May, 2021 and has been trending on the social media.

“I want to categorically state that it was an erroneous believe that some people came to attack residents at Famia axis. The news was fake and a blatant lie!

“The true situation as gathered is that the local vigilantes guiding the area against thieves and hoodlums were on their routine show of force like any other places, to alert the people of the community of their presence and assure them of safety.

“But because of what happened recently, people became apprehensive, thinking they were under attack.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode, wishes to assure the good people of Osun of his unrelenting commitment to ensure adequate security of the state, which he is overseeing without any fear of attack or molestation.

“He therefore appealed to everyone to timely report any strange movement around them or anyone suspected to be of questionable character.

“He urged everyone to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of insecurity.”