- Safiu Kehinde
Suspected political thugs have on Monday attacked the chairman of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Mr Tope Omolayo, stripping him naked at the council.
Omolayo was said to have arrived at the council yesterday after completion of his suspension by the councillors of the council.
The councillors were reported to have suspended the All Progressives Congress (APC) council chairman over alleged gross misconduct.
His return to the council would however be met with brute force as the thugs stormed the council, causing pandemomium as staff scampered for safety.
The hoodlums would pounce on Omolayo in a bid to stop him from entering the office.
This led to an argument which escalated into physical brawl with the council chairman overpowered.
According to an eyewitness, the thugs fired gunshots in the air as they latched on Omolayo, beating him mercilessly.
“They beat him mercilessly, tore his clothes and left him almost completely naked. It was an embarrassment.
“The entire secretariat went into commotion as people were running for safety while the thugs fired shots into the air,” the eyewitness stated.
While confirming the incident to newsmen, the Ondo Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the command swiftly reacted with the deployment of personnel to the secretariat to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
Jimoh added that investigations had begun into the cause of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice.