Residents Return To Oyo Community Where Hoodlums Killed Soldier

Residents of Iluju town in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, who fled the community since Sunday evening when violence erupted there have returned to the place.

Our correspondent gathered on Thursday that residents returned to their base due to the intervention of prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso on the matter.

The security agency was reportedly begged and was assured of the cooperation of the prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso that those responsible for the killing would be fingered by residents.

It was also.gathered that the AK-47 rifle of the slain soldier which was taken away by the hoodlums had been returned.

Many residents had fled the town
to avoid being killed or arrested following the killing of a soldier attached to the Operation Burst, a joint security team which comprises of soldiers and members of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The unnamed soldier, who was one of the Operation Burst patrol team members, was in the team invited to restore peace to the town. He was reportedly beaten with a charm by one of the hoodlums and died.

The soldier’s death triggered panic as many panic-stricken residents fled the community and ran inside the bush while some relocated temporarily to other towns.

A member of Ogbomoso Parapo, who spoke on condition of anonimity told our correspondent on Thursday that peace had returned to the town and residents who fled had returned.

He said, ” People who ran away from Iluju have returned to the town. They returned only when they got the assurance that security agents would not harass them any longer.

“The gun taken from the slain soldier has been recovered and given back to Operation Burst.

” Prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso including retired military officers rallied to save their people. If not the whole community might have been destroyed by soldiers.”

However the Chairman of Orire Local Government Area, Michael Olateju, could not be reached on the phone by our corespondent and chats sent to him we’re yet to be replied to as at the time of filing this report.