Two people were feared killed in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, on Monday following a reported clash at Naira and Kobo Junction involving rival groups of commercial transport workers allegedly aligned with different political parties.
The incident reportedly occurred around 10:30 am when some commercial drivers alleged to be members of the Accord arrived at the motor park and allegedly attempted to take control of the facility from drivers said to be loyal to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Videos and photographs obtained from the scene showed two men lying in pools of blood, with one appearing to have sustained a serious head injury while sitting inside a vehicle.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that political thugs linked to the two parties engaged in a confrontation at the park.
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The eyewitness said, “A political thug said to be working for APC and his team were at the motor park in Ikire around Naira and Kobo area when some political thugs from Accord stormed the area around 10:30 am to take over the place.”
The witness added that the confrontation resulted in damage to a police vehicle recently donated to the Ikire Divisional Police Station.
“During the melee, a new Toyota Hilux donated to Ikire Divisional Police Station was damaged. The windscreen was smashed and the tyres damaged,” the eyewitness said.
Another resident alleged that an Accord member was shot during the confrontation, while the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths remained disputed.
The resident said, “The Accord Party members were trying to take over the park from those of the APC extraction, and during the mayhem, an Accord member was shot.”
According to the resident, members of the Accord subsequently went to the palace of the Akire of Ikire to complain about the alleged involvement of the Divisional Police Officer in the incident.
The Accord, in a statement by its Osun State Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, alleged that two people, including a commercial bus driver identified as Saheed Akinrole and a passenger, were killed.
Akande alleged that there was no crisis at the park when the shooting occurred and accused the Divisional Police Officer of Irewole Division, Bamidele Olatona, of opening fire on unarmed civilians.
The party called for his arrest, investigation, dismissal and prosecution.
The Osun APC Media Cluster, however, accused the state government of allowing political thugs to unleash violence in Ikire.
In a press briefing in Osogbo, the group’s Coordinator, Olufunsho Fagbohungbe, alleged that armed men linked to Accord attacked residents and commuters. He also claimed that police officers were attacked and service rifles seized.
The APC body called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, while urging security agencies to restore calm in Ikire and recover any allegedly stolen police weapons.
The Osun State Police Command had not reacted to the violence at the time of filing this report. Efforts to obtain a reaction were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, had not been responded to.
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