Tension has engulfed parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, following a reported clash involving commercial motorcyclists and residents, triggering panic in several communities.
The incident, which reportedly stemmed from a disagreement between two individuals, has created confusion in areas including Ojoo, Moniya and Sasa.
According to sources, a commercial motorcyclist believed to be of Yoruba ethnicity allegedly had a dispute with another man identified as Hausa on Tuesday.
It was gathered that the altercation turned fatal, prompting relatives of the Yoruba man to allegedly launch a reprisal on Wednesday, escalating tensions in the affected communities.
A resident urged members of the public to avoid the affected areas pending the restoration of calm.
“There is an ongoing clash between Hausa and Yoruba in Ojoo presently.
“It was learned that Hausa killed a Yoruba person yesterday night and Yoruba is retaliating now. We should mind our movement around Ojoo now,” the resident said.
Security operatives under Operation Burst, the joint security task force in Oyo State, have since been deployed to the affected areas to contain the situation and prevent further violence.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Oyo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, could not be reached at the time of filing this report on Wednesday.
Authorities are yet to issue a statement confirming the cause of the incident or the number of casualties.
