WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that commercial activities in the community remained skeletal as locals fear a recurrence of the incident where many people sustained gunshot wounds and property destroyed.

Recall that some hoodlums invaded the community on the morning of September 2 and opened fire at the palace of the newly installed Eweye of Isiwu, Oba Olukayode Balogun.

The thugs, allegedly acting on the orders of one Yinusa, reportedly attempted to kill Balogun who contested the throne with him.

According to PUNCH report, lingering cases of land-grabbing in the community fuelled the violence which started brewing after Balogun was installed on August 24.

A resident, Kareem Mabayomije, said he was shot in the leg while he and some youths were trying to shield the monarch from the attack reportedly led by one Supol.

He said, “On Friday morning, I suddenly heard gunshots. People came out and we discovered that some thugs wanted to kill our monarch. It was one Supol who led the hoodlums. I was shot in the leg. He is a land-grabber. He and his gang members were sent by Yinusa who contested kingship.

“They first came at 7am. They returned around 9am and were shooting at everyone. Kabiyesi hid under the chair. Women and youths came out to protest.

“With the help of vigilantes, Supol and one other were arrested. It was Yinusa who sent them. Yinusa is from this community too. He forcefully collected lands from many families. We don’t feel safe in the community again. We need adequate security.”

A youth, Olamilekan Banwo disclosed that two days before the incident, one of the people hanging a banner at Isiwu junction in honour of Balogun was attacked by some hoodlums.

“Since the Friday incident, people have been living in fear. By 7pm, everywhere is already deserted, except for security agents and youths keeping vigil outside to avert another attack. The government should intervene in this matter,” he added.

An indigene, Lateef Olatunde, said about 40 hoodlums laid siege to the palace “in an attempt to kill or abduct kabiyesi (the monarch),” identifying some of them, as Sheki, Alegba and Ismaila.

“It was Yinusa who sent them. We learnt they are still hiding in the bush,” he said.

The chairman of commercial motorcycle riders in the neighbourhood, Opeyemi Raji, said the bloody attack dealt a huge blow to their business.

He stated “People are afraid to work. Before now, we closed at this park around 11pm, but the tension on the ground has changed that. We now close before 7pm. We do bonfires at night to watch over the community. No one can go to the sites on the outskirts again for fear of being attacked.”

A bet operator, Lukman Solanke, claimed that the hoodlums collected N400,000 from his worker who was trapped in the shop during the attack.

He showed our correspondent some parts of his wooden stall ripped open with cutlasses and bullets.

Solanke stated, “The first time they came, they didn’t attack my shop. But when they returned two hours later, they shot at my shop and collected the N400,000 I made during the week from my worker. It has affected my business. We don’t know what to do.”

He also accused  the police in Imota of indulging the hoodlums.

A resident, Abdulwasiu Oladipo, said the attack had denied families comfort at night as people could no longer sleep in peace.

Apart from Yinusa, he identified some of the alleged perpetrators as Oreofe, Asela, and Sheki, among others.

Another resident, Akeem Tanimowo, 40, explained, “Yinusa is working with other land-grabbers to frustrate people. The hoodlums started shooting from Isiwu second junction.

“There was a man called Mr Yekini Owolegbon. About four years ago, they attacked the man in his house. They beat him to death over land issue. They didn’t allow him access to his farm which was about 10 acres.

“They equally took possession of my father’s farms comprising over 20 acres. It was because the new kabiyesi