At least five residents of Ibadan were shot dead on Thursday, when members of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) clashed with a rival group, The Nation newspaper reported on Saturday. 

The media outlet, citing sources, said OPC members opened fire on members of the rival gang following a crisis that happened around Inalende, Abebi and Oopo areas in Ibadan on Thursday. 

The outlet could not ascertain the numbers of casualties from the conflict which broke out on Wednesday. But it cited witnesses as saying that about five people were killed.

The Oyo State coordinator of OPC, Rotimi Olumo, has since confirmed the tragic incident. He explained that OPC members were attacked by the Herald group on Thursday night at around 12:00 a.m. 

Mr Olumo said that the clash started as a confrontation between the youths in the affected areas. 

He claimed that three of his men died, while one of the  affected members in presently in coma.

“It started with enforcing a ban on carnivals. The OPC boys involved are our boys. We only heard of the matter at midnight Thursday when our boys called that the Herald boys had been terrorising the area since Sunday, snatching phones, robbing and stealing motorcycles and they are youths from Oopo. Their leader is named Dare Jalaruru,” Mr Olumo told the Nation.

“But because our members have shops in the axis, they warned the boys not to continue their nefarious act around their area so as not to stain the name and image of our group. 

“But, to the one that now led to the crisis, they said, they went to steal some motorcycles and as they were moving them, one didn’t work and so as not to allow the owners track the stolen bike, they set it on fire and they took the rest away. 

“So, our boys kept watch and in the afternoon, the leader of the gang in Oopo came to pick the machine that was burnt. And our boys traced them to their base where they confronted them for stealing in the area. That was how the first round of the fight started in the afternoon (Thursday).” 

He noted that the OPC men reported the matter to the Mokola Police Station but unfortunately they were attacked on Thursday night.

The police in Oyo have yet to issue a statement on the killings, although the police spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident. 

“The story is true. Investigations are ongoing to establish the number of casualties and circumstances that led to the incident, Mr Osifeso told the Nation. “Meanwhile, additional operatives have been deployed to the scene to maintain law and order.”

The Oyo commandant of Amotekun, Olayinka Olayanju, told Peoples Gazette that he has been indisposed and away from office for the past three days.

Many residents of Oyo State have queried the competence of security operatives like Amotekun and the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring that the lives of Oyo citizens are safe.

“I don’t know if this was reported, but 3 young guys were shot on Friday & their bodies were dropped at Premier Hotel, Ibadan. We are just begging Governor @seyiamakinde to do more! If @PoliceNG are not doing their job, there has to be a way to get them to work cc @FeedbackOYSG,” @ BhadmusAkeem tweeted.

“Operation burst used to go around some years back! Civil defense officers used to be proactive. We have Amotekun now, and the last thing we should be discussing is insecurity. Sadly it’s really worrisome that one can not go to bed with two eyes wide shut!”