The Oyo State Government has confirmed that four people were killed and several others injured following a violent clash between rival groups in the Ojoo area of Akinyele Local Government Area, pledging that those responsible will be arrested and prosecuted.
The violence, which erupted on Tuesday night and spilled into Wednesday morning, reportedly stemmed from the killing of a commercial tricycle rider during a dispute over a failed Point-of-Sale (POS) transaction.
The unrest forced many traders, including operators at the popular Ojoo Motor Park under the Park Management System, to shut their businesses as fear and tension gripped the community.
Residents said the crisis began after an argument between a commercial tricycle rider and a POS operator over a transaction that could not be completed due to poor network connectivity.
An eyewitness, identified simply as Iya Kadijat, alleged that the rider had withdrawn cash from the POS operator, but the transaction could not be confirmed because of network failure.
According to her, the rider offered to leave his tricycle, phone and keys with the operator as assurance that he would not abscond while the issue was being resolved. However, the disagreement reportedly turned violent when another individual allegedly slapped and stabbed him.
She said the victim was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries on Wednesday morning.
The eyewitness added that news of the rider’s death sparked outrage among his colleagues, relatives and associates, who mobilised to the area, leading to widespread violence.
Another resident, Azeez Olamiposi, claimed that armed individuals were seen during the clash and that gunshots left at least one more person dead and several others injured. The claims, however, could not be independently verified.
Speaking during an assessment visit to the affected area on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, described the violence as the handiwork of criminal elements and appealed to residents to remain calm.
“The civil unrest in this area has been instigated by criminal elements. Criminals are simply criminals, and criminality has no tribal identity. Our priority is to restore peace and stability in Ojoo and across Oyo State,” Lawal said.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to maintaining its reputation for peace, stability and development despite the unfortunate incident.
The deputy governor also assured residents that security agencies had been directed to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the violence, stressing that the government would not tolerate acts capable of disrupting public peace and safety.