The Kwara State Police Command strongly condemns the gruesome acts of mob violence, arson, and extra-judicial killings that occurred in Ilesha – Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area of the State, on Sunday.
This was contained in a press release by SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the state Police Public Relations Officer.
Investigations revealed that a violent altercation occurred between an unidentified Fulani man and an Islamic scholar, Alh Mohammed Ilyasu, during which both parties sustained severe machete injuries.
They were immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
Mohammed Ilyasu was confirmed dead on arrival, while the assailant also succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
Rather than allowing the law to take its course, some irate youths reportedly stormed the hospital, seized the corpse of the deceased assailant, and set it ablaze.
In a further display of lawlessness, the mob allegedly attacked another man passing through the area and set him on fire.
The violent crowd also razed about ten buildings belonging to members of the Fulani community, including the residence of the Ardo Fulani, Alhaji Hassan.
Upon receipt of the report, a combined team of Police personnel and military operatives was swiftly deployed to the affected area, successfully restoring normalcy and preventing further escalation of violence.
Security has since been reinforced, while the situation remains under close monitoring.
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Ojo Adekimi, has condemned the acts in the strongest terms, describing them as criminal, barbaric, and a direct affront to the rule of law.
Adekimi emphasized that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands irrespective of the circumstances surrounding any incident.
Meanwhile, the Command has launched a full-scale investigation and manhunt for all persons involved in the retaliatory attacks, arson, and unlawful killings.
The perpetrators will be identified, apprehended, and made to face the full weight of the law.
The Commissioner of Police urges residents to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while refraining from actions capable of disrupting public peace or inciting ethnic reprisals.
According to the press release, the Commissioner reassures all communities in the area of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property without bias and ensuring that justice is served.
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