The disagreement between the communities was said to have been triggered by a demarcation exercise by officials of the Nigeria Population Commission ahead of the population and housing census.
That part of an area called Ayedaade was allegedly ceded to Ilobu by the NPC in their demarcation, the development did not go down well with the Erin Osun community.
The two victims, said to have been shot in the legs, according to sources in the area, were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun State, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed to newsmen that two people were shot during the clash.
She said, “The disagreement was because Erin Osun people claimed that part of their town at Ayedaade was ceded to Ilobu during the Enumeration Area Demarcation.
“When police moved to the area, we met groups of people carrying weapons and shooting at one another. Adamu Azeez and Abdullahi Tairu, both from Ilobu, were shot in the legs. They were rushed to hospital for treatment. Police have moved to the area to ensure peace.”
In a similar vein, there were gunshots in Ibilla and Ukpa communities in Oju Local Government Area of Benue State on Friday following the visit of NPC officials to the affected communities.
Our correspondent was informed that the NPC officials had visited the communities for boundary delineation preparatory to the enumeration exercise when residents of the two communities engaged in a fight and set several houses ablaze.
The Ibilla and Ukpa communities had been in dispute for many years over the boundary.
A source told newsmen that one of the NPC officials hailed from one of the warring communities, so many residents thought that the official was using her position to influence boundary adjustment.
The source added, “Crisis erupted between the two communities leading to the burning houses. There was no death but many people were injured.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Catherine Anene, confirmed the clash.
She said, “The population commission (officials) went there (the border communities) for one of their activities and they had not even started when the people started complaining and making trouble that they wanted to take their land.
“I learnt that somebody in one of the communities was part of the team. Their suspicion was that the commission wanted to take their land and they started fighting. Many houses and shops were destroyed but no life was lost.”
Anene said the command had deployed policemen to the troubled communities to maintain peace.
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