Following the recent incursion by armed Yoruba Nation agitators into the Oyo State Government secretariat, a new wave of violence unfolded in Ekiti State when gunmen raided the Ilejemeje local government area secretariat in Ẹda-Oniyọ.
The assailants, reportedly from the neighboring Obbo-Ayegunle community in Kwara State, caused chaos and fear among staff members.
The armed attackers stormed the secretariat, disrupting normal operations and forcing employees to flee for safety.
They fired gunshots, sending workers scattering in different directions to escape harm. Amidst the pandemonium, one person sustained injuries.
The hoodlums also vandalized the secretariat building and other council property. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but there are indications of longstanding disputes over land between the two communities.
During the prolonged attack, one injured individual was urgently taken to the State Specialist Hospital in Iye-Ekiti for medical treatment.
Sources revealed that the attackers were heavily armed with guns, charms, and cutlasses when they invaded the secretariat around 10 a.m.
The Eleda of Eda Oniyo community, Oba Awodipo Awolola, highlighted recent tensions in the community due to prior attacks on residents and their farmlands. He emphasized the urgent need for increased security presence in the area.
Similarly, Mr. Alaba Dada, the Chairman of Ilejemaje Local Government, identified the suspected perpetrators as coming from Obbo-Ayegunle in Kwara State. He linked the attacks to ongoing land disputes and called for both Ekiti and Kwara State governments to intervene and resolve the conflict for the sake of peace and stability.