What began as an alleged robbery incident at a Point-of-Sale (POS) outlet in the Ojoo area of Ibadan has spiralled into deadly violence, leaving at least two people dead, several others injured and properties destroyed, forcing security agencies to take control of the area.
The unrest, which erupted around the Strabag axis of Ojoo in Akinyele Local Government Area, disrupted businesses, halted transport activities and raised concerns over possible ethnic tensions before security operatives restored calm.
According to the Oyo State Police Command, preliminary investigations indicate that the crisis started after four young men allegedly attempted to rob a POS operator of a mobile phone. Police spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said one of the suspects, identified as Abeeb Olajide, was apprehended by residents after the other suspects escaped.
The suspect was allegedly beaten by an angry mob before police officers rescued him and rushed him to a hospital. He was later confirmed dead while receiving treatment. Police said the mob killing sparked retaliatory attacks that quickly escalated into widespread violence across the community.
Authorities also confirmed the death of Kamorudeen Abdulrasheed, who reportedly died from injuries sustained during the unrest. Police said investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his death. During the violence, six makeshift shops containing condemned plastic materials were set ablaze before firefighters brought the situation under control.
The police have arrested four suspects linked to the incident and transferred them to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, where they are being investigated for alleged attempted robbery, mob action and public disturbance.
However, eyewitnesses offered a different version of events. Some residents claimed the crisis began after a commercial tricycle rider experienced a failed cash withdrawal at a POS outlet due to network issues. According to the witnesses, the rider reportedly surrendered his tricycle keys and mobile phone as assurance that he would return once the transaction was resolved, but an argument allegedly escalated into violence after an alarm was raised. Another resident claimed armed men later joined the clash, resulting in additional casualties. These accounts have not been independently verified.
As tensions spread across the Ojoo and Strabag axis, traders shut down their businesses while transport activities at the popular Ojoo Motor Park were suspended. Residents fled the area as personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Amotekun Corps launched a joint operation to restore order.
During a visit to the affected community, Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal appealed for calm and warned against portraying the incident as an ethnic conflict. He stressed that criminal acts should not be linked to any tribe and assured residents that anyone found responsible would face prosecution regardless of ethnic background. The police also urged members of the public to avoid jungle justice and hand criminal suspects over to law enforcement authorities while investigations continue.
