Fear swept through Ojoo, one of Ibadan’s busiest markets, on Wednesday after a violent confrontation between Yoruba traders and Hausa scavengers left two people dead and forced shops to close across the commercial district.
The unrest began late Tuesday night around 11 p.m. when a commercial tricycle operator, popularly called _Maruwa_, went to a Point of Sale outlet to withdraw cash. Witnesses say a disagreement erupted after the POS operator insisted the money had been paid out, even though the transaction did not show up on the rider’s account.
To prove he wasn’t trying to escape, the rider handed over his tricycle key and phone to the POS attendant as collateral while they sorted out the issue. Minutes later, a group of suspected Hausa scavengers arrived and attacked him. He was stabbed multiple times and died at the scene.
News of the killing spread quickly, sparking anger among residents and traders. By Wednesday morning, the situation had spiraled into armed clashes. Gunshots echoed through Ojoo as rival groups confronted each other.
A trader who survived the attack told SaharaReporters how chaos unfolded. “They started shooting at us this morning,” he said. “A small boy who went to buy Indomie was hit by a stray bullet and died instantly. Bullets were flying everywhere. The police were there but just watched with their arms folded.”
The witness added that he narrowly escaped being shot himself. “If not for God’s protection, I wouldn’t be alive today,” he said.
Panic gripped the area as traders abandoned their stalls and residents fled for safety. Businesses along the busy corridor shut down amid fears of further violence.
Oyo State Deputy Governor later visited Ojoo to calm tensions. During the meeting, Yoruba traders and community leaders appealed to the government to relocate the Hausa scavengers from the area, saying they no longer felt secure.
“We don’t want them killing us in our sleep,” one representative told the deputy governor. “Ojoo is a commercial hub. Tell them to leave so we can have peace.”
Residents insist that moving the scavengers is the only way to stop more bloodshed and restore normalcy to the neighborhood.
Security agencies have not released any official statement on arrests or investigations into the incident.