No fewer than 9 people were reportedly injured and many properties looted and destroyed as hoodlums clash in Sasa Area of Ojoo, Ibadan in the early hours of Friday.
The fresh bloody clash started when scavengers who pick scraps in the area were prevented by house owners starting as a free fight for all.
The decision of the house owners to prevent hoodlums from picking scraps frustrated the hoodlums and eventually regrouped on Friday to unleashed mayhem on the residents and shop owners which aggravates and spread across other areas in Ojoo.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu and his Deputy, in charge of Operations, Mr. Kehinde Alonge hurriedly paid situation assessment visit to the troubled spot Friday.
In a statement titled “False alarm on alleged conflict between Huasas and Yorubas at Sasa Market, Ojoo, Ibadan” by the Oyo state Police Command, the Commissioner of Police who confirmed that nine persons were seriously injured in the violent disturbance debunked the rumour that the conflict was between the Hausas and Yorubas in the affected area.
He assured that peace and normalcy had been restored in the area, and urged members of the public to disregard the rumour that there was fight between the two ethnic groups.
Describing the rumour mongers as uninformed, misguided mischief makers, the state police chief said that three persons had been arrested and charged to court when the incident first occurred two days ago, before the social miscreants went to regroup overnight for another attack on the market, which subsequently escalated on Friday.
The Commissioner of Police, therefore seized the opportunity to warn social miscreants, and mischief makers who were bent on causing mayhem in the state to have a rethink before the long arm of the law catches up with them.
