There was palpable tension in Modakeke and Ile-Ife communities following the discovery of five corpses of farmers who were allegedly ambushed and gruesomely murdered by unknown gunmen on Friday morning.
According to The Nation, the five farmers who were going to farm on motorcycles were waylaid along Toro area via Alape by the gunmen who shot them several times before macheting them.
A resident named Sola told our correspondent that the people of Modakeke and police evacuated the corpses from the area and deposited them at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching hospital, Ile-Ife.
Residents of Modakeke alleged that the assailants were from Ile-Ife. This has aggravated tension in the two communities.
It was reliably gathered that mob besieged the palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi at Enuwa to forcefully enter the premises, however, youths of Ife repelled the mob.
The Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mrs Abiodun Ige and an Army captain visited the palaces of Modakeke and Ile-Ife to sue for peace.
The Lowa of Ife, High Chief Adekola Adeyeye, speaking with our correspondent, alleged that, “some of the residents of Modakeke under the guise of escorting Police to OAUTH attempted to attack the palace. Over 200 of them on motorcycles followed the dead bodies to the hospital and were unruly on the road. While they were trying to attack the palace, we arrested about five of them and confiscated several motorcycles. We handed over those arrested to the police.
“We met the Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode and Ife area commander who assured us of adequate policing to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.
“The presence of Police has doused tension presently and he has also assured us that the perpetrators would be brought to book. I call on Ife residents, on behalf of the Kabiyesi, to remain calm, and should not be provoked to pick up arms against anyone. Ooni Ogunwusi is a man of peace and peace must continue to reign in his domain.”
Also, a community leader in Modakeke, Femi Eluyinka disclosed that military men have been deployed to the communities to maintain peace.
