07
Jan
Jan
ONDO STATE GOVERNOR IMPOSES DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW IN OWO OVER CULT CLASHES
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Nicolas Adekeye / 2 weeks
- 0
- 2 min read
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has ordered a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town of Owo, effective immediately, in response to violent cult clashes and security disturbances that have resulted in loss of lives. The curfew, which will be in effect from 7 pm to 6 am, was announced in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan. As stated by Adeniyan, the governor has directed security agencies to enforce the curfew, ensure the safety of lives and properties, arrest perpetrators of the violence, and restore peace to the community. The governor’s action comes after four persons were confirmed dead in a clash between two suspected cult groups in Owo. One of the victims, 52-year-old Fisayo Oladipupo, a former youth leader of the APC in Owo LGA, was shot dead by assailants suspected to be cultists. His remains have been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre in Owo. Other victims include a yet-to-be-identified woman and her baby, who were reportedly hit by stray bullets. An eyewitness described the chaos that erupted when the two groups clashed on Monday morning, saying, “We thank God that students are not around because we had been hearing gunshots and after, it was heard that some people had been killed early this morning.” The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlam, confirmed the incident and stated that men of the command have been deployed to calm the situation. “Four people have been confirmed dead, but normalcy has returned through the intervention of the police, and efforts are on to arrest the perpetrators of the act,” she said. The curfew will remain in effect until further notice, and all residents are required to remain indoors during the curfew hours. Only essential services, such as hospitals, emergency services, and law enforcement, will be exempted from the curfew.