DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Kwara, Ekiti communities trade blame over land dispute attack

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Two Nigerian communities, Obbo-Ayegunle in Kwara and Eda Oniyo in Ekiti, are blaming each other for a recent land dispute attack.
  • Obbo-Ayegunle accuses Eda Oniyo of attacking its farmers, while Eda Oniyo claims Obbo-Ayegunle people invaded their land.
  • Both communities have appealed to the Ekiti State Government to intervene and prevent further violence, with Obbo-Ayegunle warning of self-defense if attacks persist.

A land dispute between the Obbo-Ayegunle community in Kwara State and the Eda Oniyo community in Ekiti State has escalated, with each side accusing the other of launching violent attacks.

The appeal became necessary because Eda-Oniyo community, located in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has started threatening Obbo farmers again over the land in dispute between the two communities.

— Ade OgunPresident, Obbo Descendants Forum, explaining the need for government intervention.

Obbo-Ayegunle claims that Eda Oniyo people, led by "Ojo Eda," invaded their farmlands on a Wednesday last week, threatening farmers and violating a previous resolution. The Obbo Descendants Forum appealed to the Ekiti State Government to intervene, urging the traditional ruler of Eda-Oniyo and his subjects to cease their "continued aggression." They warned that Obbo people are prepared to defend themselves if the violent attacks continue without intervention.

This is completely against our resolution at the recent meeting held at Ado-Ekiti.

— Ade OgunPresident, Obbo Descendants Forum, referencing a prior agreement.

Conversely, the Eda Oniyo community, through its progressive union president Dr. Rufus Ajayi, insists that the Obbo-Ayegunle people are attempting to seize their ancestral land. Ajayi stated that Obbo-Ayegunle people attacked their community members with cutlasses and guns, attempting to drive them away. He reported the incident to the Ekiti State Governor's Special Adviser on Security, who initiated a police inquiry, though the alleged attackers had already fled.

The ODF appealed to the Ekiti State Government to prevail on Eda-Oniyo people to toe the path of peace in resolving the land dispute, warning that “Obbo people have the right and are ready to defend themselves if the violent attacks from Eda-Oniyo persist and nobody cares to check them.”

— Ade OgunPresident, Obbo Descendants Forum, issuing a warning about self-defense.

Ajayi emphasized that the land in question belongs to Eda Oniyo, and while their forefathers permitted Obbo-Ayegunle people to settle there, they now seek ownership. He urged the Obbo-Ayegunle people to leave their land, stressing that the dispute is over land ownership, not just farming rights.

They were the ones that attacked our people last Wednesday. They came with about 35 people with cutlasses and guns to invade us, to drive our people away.

— Dr Rufus AjayiNational President of Eda Oniyo Progressives, describing the alleged attack.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog