20 Shops, Three Houses, Vehicles Burnt As Hoodlums Clash In Ibadan

Pandemonium broke out in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, when suspected members of two rival gangs clashed.

Over 20 shops, three houses and several vehicles were set ablaze.

The hoodlums reportedly engaged in a violent clash at Isale-Osi area of Ibadan, before it escalated to Born Photo and Gidarami areas of the ancient town.

It was gathered that the fight began Sunday night but continued on Monday with more deadly weapons freely used by members of the two gangs.

Residents of the affected areas fled as the hoodlums engaged in free-for-all that left several people seriously injured.

The hoodlums brandished weapons like machetes, cutlasses, knives, broken bottles and charms.

An eyewitness, who is also a resident of the Born Photo area, told reporters that the violence erupted as a result of the death of a notorious gang leader, who was said to have been killed by members of the rival group, during a party in the area, last week.

The eyewitness said: “The gangs are from Popoyemoja and Born Photo area in Ibadan.

“One of the leaders of the gang was killed last week at a party.

“The members alleged that their leader was killed by a rival group and they planned to avenge his death.

“They came in the night on Sunday but it was not a serious fight.

“But on Monday, they returned and a fight broke out between the two groups.

“They started burning shops and destroying vehicles and houses.

“They used guns, knives machetes, broken bottles and other dangerous objects in the fight.

“Several members of the gangs were injured. We had to flee the area for fear of being caught up in the fight.

“They targeted any house where any of the rival cult group was living.

“My sister’s shop was burnt, with goods worth thousands of naira destroyed.

“As they unleashed mayhem, they were singing war songs.”

He added that even when the targeted gang members had run away from the areas, the hoodlums refused to leave, targeting relatives of their perceived enemies.

A member of Oyo State House of Assembly, Kehinde Subair, was said to have earlier visited the scene of the fracas.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, who confirmed the mayhem, said some arrests had been made and that normalcy had returned to the areas.

The CP said: “Two rival groups engaged in a fight in the areas, but normalcy has returned to the areas.

“We made some arrests and investigation is still ongoing. Police will not tolerate activities of hoodlums in the state.

“Our men are still on the ground to forestall further clash and disturbance in the areas by the groups.”

-- Gbenga Abegunrin