The Ooni Caucus of Eminent Yoruba Sons and Daughters has condemned the killing of seven people in Toro village on Friday by gunmen from Modakeke.

Akin Osuntokun, the Coordinator of the Ooni Caucus, condemned the attempt to portray the crime as a re-enactment of the Ife-Modakeke conflict in a statement released on Sunday.

He claimed the attempt by those he referred to as “mischief makers” was intended to divert security agencies’ attention away from the real problem.

“We commiserate with the families and communities of the deceased and pray that this does not happen again,” the statement said.

“What concerns me the most about this unfortunate development is the attempt to use it to rekindle the feud between Ife and Modakeke. For the sake of our common humanity, peace, unity, and stability in Yorubaland, and indeed Nigeria, those orchestrating the development should immediately cease and desist from such mischief.

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“We reiterate the Ooni palace’s patient investigation and peace-promoting stance, and we condemn attempts to add communal coloration to the crime in order to divert security operatives from uncovering the evil minds behind the devilish act. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

“We offer Kabiyesi Oonirisa (Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi) our support and sympathies as he brings his trademark goodwill, tolerance, accommodating, and patriarchal disposition to bear on the unfortunate event.”

Remember that on Friday, killings erupted in Ife and Modakeke, and it was reported that some of those transporting the slain victims’ bodies to the mortuary attempted to attack the Ooni palace, but were repulsed.