Ado Ekiti — The Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, announced on Sunday that soldiers, police, and Amotekun Corps operatives, have intervened in the boundary dispute between Eda Oniyo in Ekiti State and the neighboring Obbo Ayegunle in Kwara State.
Olatunbosun disclosed that the conflict intensified on Saturday when armed men from Obbo Ayegunle attacked Eda Oniyo, resulting in the death of one resident from Eda Oniyo in Ilejemeje Local Government Area.
“Available information indicated that the boundary dispute between Eda Oniyo Ekiti and Obbo Ayegunle in Kwara State escalated when armed men from Obbo Ayegunle attacked Eda Oniyo on Saturday.
One person from the community (Eda Oniyo in Ilejemeje Local Government area) was reportedly killed in the fracas,” the commissioner stated in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.
In an appeal for calm, Olatunbosun reassured residents of Eda Oniyo that security forces, including soldiers, police, and Amotekun Corps members, had been deployed to the scene immediately to contain the crisis.
He added that the situation had since been brought under control.
“Additional troops had already moved to the area to protect the community while the Army formation in Kwara State has been contacted to deploy troops along Kwara side of the border to curtail further attack from both sides,” he added.
Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased and wishing a swift recovery to those injured, Olatunbosun reiterated the Ekiti State Government’s commitment to maintaining peace and security across the state.
He emphasized the need for calm while security agencies manage the situation, assuring that the perpetrators and their accomplices would be apprehended and brought to justice.
Detailing the incident, the Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola, said, “The Obbo people came armed into our town.
They could not attack the Secretariat because some policemen were there. They came into the town to attack us.
They vandalized the windows of no fewer than two buildings and killed one of our men in the process.
It was when they were resisted by our people that they retreated to Obbo Ayegunle.”
Oba Awolola claimed that the disputed land belongs to Eda Oniyo, supported by documents confirming their ownership.
He noted that the army, police, and state government representatives visited Eda Oniyo on Sunday, urging residents to remain calm.
In response, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, confirmed that security agents had been deployed to the area to ensure peace, order, and security.
PUNCH reported that the boundary dispute between the neighboring Ekiti and Kwara communities has led to ongoing hostilities, with both towns laying claim to the contentious land.
Last month, Oba Awolola alleged that youths from Obbo Ayegunle attacked and vandalized the Ilejemeje Local Government Secretariat at Eda Oniyo and assaulted some residents on their farms.
