"The issue is currently under control. It was a minor struggle that had snowballed into a serious crisis."
At least 11 trucks belonging to
Trouble started when commercial motorcyclists and transport unionists clashed over an alleged increase in riders' tickets, from N600 to N800.
Witnesses said the crisis quickly degenerated into an ethnic conflict between the motorcyclists, who are mostly from the northern part of the country, and their southwestern colleagues at Dangote Junction in the community.
As of Tuesday, about seven people lay dead from the crisis, witnesses said.
'Okada riders vs union'
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Hamzat Ibrahim, an indigene of the community, said the conflict began on Monday after a disagreement between a motorcyclist and a union representative trying to sell him a ticket.
"Hausas beat the union representative to a pulp and in retaliation, it became a full-blown clash between the Yorubas and the Hausas and many things were destroyed.
"The Hausas were shooting. Only God knows where they got guns from.
"After the whole fight, men in military uniform came to our town and started shooting. Our investigation showed that those soldiers are unknown.
"But an ID card fell off from one of those putting on the military uniform and the ID card showed that the bearer is a Dangote staff in the transport department, but we are still investigating."
Adeyanju Awoso, a member of the
"So many problems are confronting our people in Ibese, the way they are treating our people is very bad. Can you imagine that as big as that plant is, the largest in
"Our governor and Dangote himself need to address this issue urgently.
"Meanwhile, from the report I had, the youths in the community got angry after the military, who visited the community later yesterday (Tuesday) started shooting anyhow. Specifically, they killed an innocent man sitting in front of his house."
Mr Awoso said he had informed the secretary to the state government as well as the governor's chief of staff about the incident.
"I am also on my way to Eleweran now for us to have a round table discussion with the Commissioner of Police on the way forward and from there, we shall go straight to the scene of this horrible incident.
"Another reason why issues like this have continued to degenerate is because there is no traditional ruler in Ibese and this issue had been before the government for the past one year. Ibese needs a monarch and that should be installed as early as possible, so that little issues will stop degenerating."
'Under control'
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Earlier, on Tuesday,
"The issue is currently under control. It was a minor struggle that had snowballed into a serious crisis,"
"They said the unions increased their tickets fee from N600 to N800 and that was how the crisis started. But how it then turned into Hausa and Yoruba crisis is what I don't know.
"But, we are on top of the matter. The situation has been brought under control. Our men are still there as we speak."
On Wednesday evening,
"We are monitoring the situation, our men are still on the ground there. In fact, the commissioner of police, Director DSS, commander of Amotekun, among others, have all visited the scene today and more peace has returned to the area," he said.
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