The people of Ilobu community, the administrative headquarters of the Irepodun Local Government of Osun State, have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to save them from the hands of their neighbours, Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun.

The community said the call became necessary because they have lost confidence in the Osun State government to protect them and their property against their alleged attackers.

Ekwutosblog reports that the late Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja hailed from the Ilobu community.

The National President of Ilobu Development Union, Pastor Olufemi Salako, made the call on Monday in a letter dated March 24, 2025, and made available to DAILY POST staff.

The letter, titled, “Urgent intervention to stop the siege, pogrom, and annihilation of the peace-loving people of Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government, Osun State,” was addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Salako said the intervention of the President was geared towards putting a final stop to an unending siege, pogrom, and annihilation of the people of Ilobu from the map of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the alleged ethnic militias of Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun, the neighbouring communities sharing borders with the community.

He said the Ilobu community had won all cases on the disputed land between its neighbours since the ’70s, even to the Court of Appeal.

He said the last 72 hours or thereabouts had been hellish for the people of Ilobu because of the alleged two neighbouring communities who had connived to descend on it.

The National President of Ilobu Development Union said the two neighbouring communities were being provided logistical support by an alleged prominent cabinet member of the State Government.

According to him, this is the eighth time the violent attacks have been unleashed on the innocent people of a town that has continued to contribute to the peace of this nation.

“On Thursday, March 18, 2025, there was a joint attack on Ilobu communities by its neighbouring communities. Our people were smoked out of their homes, shot, displaced, and their properties burnt down.

“The effect of the unprovoked war has caused Ilobu collateral damage in terms of the huge humanitarian chaos that has resulted in annihilating the defenceless community that has their rights of identity, association, and existence as protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

“Ilobu produced the late patriotic Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, who died for this nation, in mysterious circumstances.

“The immediate past Clerk of the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, among numerous others, hailed from this noble town. But rather than protecting the lives of Lagbaja’s kinsmen, a government in the state has allegedly looked the other way while the town burns.

“All cases taken to court since the ‘70s over the land disputes up to the Appeal Court, were all won by Ilobu,” he said.

Salako called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the crisis if he truly loved General Lagbaja in his lifetime.

He, however, called on the President to direct the heads of the security agencies to overhaul the security architecture of Osun State and replace them with competent, proactive, and unbiased officers to head the critical commands in the State.

He also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged ethnic militias that invaded Ilobu Community.

Other demands of the Ilobu Development Union included the protection of lives and property of the law-abiding citizens of the community.

“Directing the Chief of Army Staff to send his men to protect the country Home of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who served this great country to the last day of his life.

“Directing the Chief of Army Staff to establish a Command and Control Centre at the Ilobu Community to reinforce the security networks in Osun State.

“Mobilising aggressively human and material resources towards alleviating the prevailing humanitarian crisis affecting the large number of the displaced residents of the Ilobu community,” he demanded.

Meanwhile, the State government has ordered the immediate distribution of food and relief materials to the displaced people of Ilobu, Ifon, and Erin-Osun.

A statement by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson for the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, also said the governor issued a directive to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Services to summon the traditional rulers, chiefs, and identified ringleaders in each town for grilling and signing of peace undertakings.

Rasheed said the Governor, who also directed the search and arrest of perpetrators of the violence, insisted that those arrested should be charged to court without further delay.