SOJI AJIBOLA, IBADAN
No fewer than four traders have been reportedly killed while several others were critically injured in a clash between Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba traders at the popular Shasa market in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State on Friday.
Also, property worth thousands of Naira were said to have been lost as market stalls were set on fire by the warring ethnic tribes.
The situation, it was learnt, has led to a temporarily shut down of the market while security operatives had been strategically positioned to prevent further breakdown of laws and order.
FirstNews gathered that trouble started on Thursday evening when a trader of Hausa-Fulani extraction allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman who happened to be a luggage carrier otherwise known as Alabaru in the market.
Our source stated that some commodities fell off the load that she was transporting from one end of the market to the other, a development that drew the attention of the Hausa-Fulani traders who were standing nearby.
It was stated that the Hausa-Fulani traders, in the process of forcing the woman to pick up the commodities, assaulted the woman.
A cobbler of Yoruba extraction, known simply as Korex, who was not happy with the action of the Hausa-Fulani traders, was said to have accused them of maltreating a pregnant woman in the course of discharging her duty.
Korex, it was learnt, was allegedly attacked with a sharp object from behind by the Hausa-Fulani traders and was rushed to the University College Hospital, Ibadan where he later gave up the ghost
On hearing the death of Korex, Yoruba traders launched a reprisal attack by turning back trucks loaded with foodstuffs and forcing them to take alternative routes to access the market.
Irked by this development, Hausa-Fulani traders in the market reportedly engaged them in a free for all fight during which four traders were reportedly killed while properties worth millions of Naira were set ablaze.
Another source blamed the crisis on an alleged dominance of Hausa-Fulani extraction in the market
“Even after this crisis, they will still fight because of the dominance of Hausa-Fulani and some decisions made by Seriki Shasa regarding revenue collection.
“Seriki Shasa and some Hausa-Fulani are now claiming the leadership and ownership of Shasa Idi ori community,” the source said.