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Tasks Police to Investigate
- Safiu Kehinde
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Accord Party of being responsible for the killings at the Naira and Kobo Motor Park in Ikire.
The APC alleged that the attack was carried out by hoodlums linked to the ruling party, adding that they also abducted one of its members, Sunkanmi Abiodun.
NPO Reported that clash had erupted with two factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, on Monday in a forceful takeover of the park.
While five people were feared dead, two deaths would however be confirmed as videos shared on X showed a man lying lifeless on the ground with another dropped dead in a car after being shot in the head.
Reacting in a statement issued on Monday evening, the Osun APC’s spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, alleged that the attack was carried out by the political hoodlums of the Accord Party who have been terrorising the community since the declaration of the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Olabisi claimed that the thugs, who were allegedly on police wanted list over the murder of former chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Remi Abass, had returned to the town following the re-election of Adeleke.
‘Information has it that some of the Accord Party thugs who had fled the ancient town following the brutal killing of Honourable Remi Abass, the former chairman of Irewole Local Government Council Area of the state, in February 2025 and subsequently declared wanted by the police, rushed back to the ancient town from their various hideouts immediately Governor Adeleke was declared the winner of the governorship election penultimate Monday.
‘It was gathered that these Accord Party political hoodlums have been disturbing the public peace of the town with the harassment and beating of the APC members and their supporters, especially those of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) extraction.
‘The Accord thugs who today, forcefully took over the motor parks in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, from the legitimate leadership appointed by the duly constituted local government chairmen in Osun State, reportedly abducted an APC member, Mr. Sunkanmi Abiodun, and took him to one of the motor parks for torture.’ He wrote.
On the police involvement in the clash, the Osun APC claimed that the personnel attached to the Irewole Police Division were deployed to the park following the arival of the hoodlums.
A fierce fire exchange between the police and the hoodlums led to the death of the two victims comprising of a driver and one passenger.
‘Upon receiving a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Irewole Police Division in Ikire, Mr. Bamidele Olatona, accompanied by his men, immediately rushed to the park. On arrival, the hoodlums allegedly attacked the DPO and his officers and reportedly seized a rifle from one of the police officers.
‘The DPO subsequently called for reinforcement, after which the hoodlums opened fire on the police officers.
‘The officers responded in self-defence, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that reportedly led to the loss of the lives of one commercial driver, Mr. Saheed Akinrole alias Elena and one innocent passenger.’ The statement read further.
The Osun APC condemned the killings while saluting the courage of the police in confronting the assailants.
‘We condemn the killing of the innocent persons and the abduction of our member by the Accord Party thugs who have been on the wanted list of the police over the killing of Honourable Remi Abass who have now constituted themselves to lawless entities in Ikire and its environs.
‘We salute the professional ingenuity and sagacity of the DPO of the Ikire Police Station, Olatona, for having fought gallantly to ensure that our abducted member was not killed as another member of our party, Saheed, who was abducted in a similar circumstance was killed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s thugs sometime in the same Ikire in 2022.’ The party stated.
They however demanded protection of lives and properties in the town; investigation into the attack; and arrest of the suspected thugs who were also alleged to have snatched a police officer’s rifle during the attack.
‘We are enjoining the state police command to beef up security of lives and property in Ikire as the Accord Party thugs have taken over the reign of governance in the ancient town where they brazenly attack, humiliate, embarrass and victimise our members while the supposed statutory Chief Security Officer of the state is looking elsewhere for political reasons.
‘It is important for the police to immediately swing into action to arrest, investigate the brazen act of man inhumanity against fellow human beings in Ikire which is now more rampant after the declaration of Governor Adeleke as the winner of the last governorship election because of the differences in political persuasion.
‘The Accord Party thugs must be made to produce the gun they illegally snatched from the police in order to curb the rate of crime commission in the town and its environs.’ The statement added.
No Clash at Naira and Kobo Motor Park, DPO Opened Fire Unprovoked; Accord Party Claims
Reacting to the allegations by the Osun APC, the Irewole Local Government Chapter of the Accord Party faulted the APC’s claims which they labelled a political propaganda.
Accord Party, in a statement issued Media Directorate in Irewole LGA where the incident occurred, claimed that the police had stormed the police had stormed the motor park with the DPO allegedly opening fire unprovoked.
The ruling party said no clash for take over occurred at the park to have warranted the presence of the police.