Oyo Govt says Customs officers not gunmen raided Ibarapa communities

Contrary to reports that a group of gunmen have again attacked Ibarapa communities in Oyo state, the state government has said that the communities were raided by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and not gunmen.

The three agrarian communities in Ibarapa area of the state that were raided on Friday, July 16, 2021, are Igangan, Ayete and Igbo-Ora.

Three people reportedly lost their lives during the raid.

According to Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, political and traditional rulers of the affected towns have described the raid “as unnecessary and not well thought out”.

Adisa said this in a statement on Saturday, July 17, 2021, following the visit of Sunday Odukoya, the governor's aide on security matters to the communities.

“The raid left so much turmoil in our communities as the Customs men came, shooting sporadically. Many of our people ran helter-skelter.”

“We want it stated loud and clear that our communities, Igbo Ora, Igangan and Ayete are not border towns. Why should Customs turn the communities to theatres of bloodshed and war?

“We want customs to regulate their operations. It will be better if the authorities restrict them to border towns to end unwarranted attacks on innocent communities,” Jimoh Olajide Titiloye, the Olu of Igbo Ora, was quoted as saying.

In his reaction, Adeoye Adedoyin, the Chairman of Ibarapa north LGA described the incident as regrettable.

“We have received the cooperation of state and non-state actors in our efforts aimed at boosting security.

“The hunters, Amotekun and other security agencies have been cooperating fully, but we were shocked to hear reports of sporadic gunshots and commotion that ensued after a raid by men of Customs Service,” Adedoyin said.