Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has relaxed the 24-hour curfew he imposed on Irepodun and Orolu local government areas following deadly communal clashes.
Kolapo Alimi, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, said in a statement on Tuesday that the 24-hour curfew had been relaxed to 12 hours.
It also explained that the decision to relax the curfew was a sequel to the gradual return of peace and normalcy in Ilobu and Ifon communities.
The affected communities were also said to have complied with the dictates of last Saturday’s Peace Agreement signed by the Ilobu and Ifon communities.
Adeleke, however, maintained his earlier stand of readiness to take complete possession of the disputed lands until the imbroglio was finally seen to have been amicably brought to an end by the natives.
“That, based on the recent Peace Agreement signed by Ifon and Ilobu Communities of Orolu and Irepodun local governments, the administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke is happy to state that the two communities are gradually embracing the need to engender peace and harmony, forthwith.
“Premised on this, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun state, in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state, has relaxed the 24-hour curfew to 12 hours daily, beginning from 6 am to 6 pm with immediate alacrity.
“That the Joint Security Task Force, comprising the Nigerian Army, Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agents should, however, continue their normal 24-hour surveillance of both Ifon, Ilobu and Olokanla communities,” the statement said.
No less than eight people have perished in the crisis, four policemen sustained gunshot injuries while a patrol van was set afire.