A police spokesperson confirmed the clash that occurred in Owo on Monday but could not confirm the number of casualties

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered a dawn-to-dusk curfew in Owo, a town in Ondo State, following a violent clash that resulted in the death of four persons. According to the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the curfew is until further notice.

There was confusion early on Monday after reports filtered in that a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Owo Local Government, Fisayo Oladipo, and four others were shot dead by armed men suspected to be cultists.

The ugly event was said to have occurred at around 2:00 a.m. on Monday when the gunmen stormed Mr Oladipo's house in Owo and killed him.

Mr Oladipo, popularly called Fissey Ehin Ogbe, was a former youth leader of the APC and a prominent party member in the Owo Local Government. It was also gathered that four other persons, including a mother and her child, were caught in the crossfire between two rival cults.

The police spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the incident but could not ascertain the number of casualties.

"We can't confirm if an APC chieftain is affected, but four people have been confirmed dead. Normalcy has returned through the intervention of the police. Efforts are on to arrest perpetrators of the act," she said. Meanwhile, a statement signed by Mr Adeniyan said all residents are required to remain indoors during the curfew.

"Only essential services, such as hospitals, emergency services, and law enforcement, will be exempted from the curfew," he said.

"The governor has also asked security agencies in the state to enforce the curfew, ensure the safety of lives and properties, arrest perpetrators of the violence, and restore peace to the community."