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As Parties Trade Blames
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Apprehend Suspected Hoodlum with Rifle
- Safiu Kehinde
Clash has erupted in Okuku area of Osun state hours after an All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Damilare Eniade, made threatening remark warning Accord Party members against coming out to vote at the August 15 Governorship Election.
NPO Reported that Eniade, who is also the APC’s House of Representative candidate for Boripe/ Ifelodun/ Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, had on Tuesday gave the warning while addressing a crowd of the party supporters.
Speaking in Yoruba, Eniade held that Odo-Otin belongs to the APC as he warned members of other parties, including the Osun House of Assembly Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, who hails from Odo-Otin, to avoid going to their polling unit.
‘I swear to God, anybody who is not APC should not come outside that day. I’m pleading with them not to come out. We’ve warned you now. All polling units in Odo-Otin belongs to APC.
‘Tell Egbedun that I don’t have his time. He is a small boy to me. I’m his big brother.
‘We are going to do this based on father-son affairs. Egbedun won’t come out to vote. Accord Party cannot come out to vote.’ He said.
The APC chieftain’s inciting statement was on Wednesday met with violence as armed thugs allegedly attacked the Accord Party Chairman of Odo-Otin LGA, Adeyinka Adewale.
The clash would further intensify with the reported arrival of Egbedun, Osun House of Assembly Speaker, alongside his entourage.
While the actual circumstances surrounding the attacks is yet to be established, the camps of both parties however painted different narratives of what ensued during the clash.
The APC camp alleged that Egbedun’s convoy were the ones who attacked Eniade.
According to a post shared on X by Al-hamdaany Arije, Eniade’s convoy was waylaid by suspected armed thugs allegedly linked to Egbedun while returning from Inisa.
The APC chieftain was reportedly pursued, forcing Eniade to take refuge at Okuku Divisional Police Station.
The thugs were however alleged to have invaded the station, attacking the APC Chiefatin’s convoy and injuring his driver.
‘The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wale Egbedun, on Wednesday attacked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal House of Representatives candidate, Francis Eniade, in Okuku, headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
‘The convoy of Eniade was waylaid while returning from Inisa by suspected thugs and security personnel attached to Hon. Egbedun, who were said to be travelling in a Lexus Jeep.
‘Sensing danger, Eniade increased his speed and headed to the Okuku Divisional Police Station for safety. However, Egbedun security details and suspected thugs invaded the police station, where Eniade’s driver was wounded and his Hilux and others were vehicle damaged.’ The post read.
Video attached to the post showed the driver of the APC chieftain with what appeared to be bloodstain on his clothe.
Suspected Hoodlum Arrested with Rifle, Police Uniform Gives Contrary Account
The Eniade camp’s narrative of the incident was however contradictory to the account of the Accord Party and Egbedun’s camp.
According to the Accord Party’s camp, the Odo-Otin LGA Chairman Adeyinka was the one attacked by armed hoodlums alleged linked to Eniade.
Adeyinka’s convoy was reportedly pursued by the hoodlums who opened fire at him during the hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, an intervention by Egbedun’s security details led to the arrest of two of the armed hoodlums.
One of the suspects, allegedly dressed as a police officer, was apprehended with one pump action rifle which he claimed ownership of while being interrogated.
On the police uniform found on him, the suspect who identified himself as Ayodeji Omoyemisi, claimed to be a member of the NFSS.
As captured in a video shared on X, the suspect confessed working for Eniade’s camp.
‘I’m working for Eniade. I’m a NFSS member.’
Though claiming being unaware of who they attacked, Ayodeji revealed pursuing Adeynika’s convoy.
He also admitted shooting twice during the pursuit of the Odo-Otin LGA Chairman’s convoy.
‘I thought they were enemies. I’m the only one who shot and shot twice. I only shot in the air and not at the convoy.’ He said.
I Personally Witnessed Attack; Osun Assembly Speaker Gives Account
Reacting to the allegation against him by Eniade’s camp, the Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Wale Egbedun, gave his own account of the incident which he claimed to have witnessed.
Egbedun, in a statement issued on his X handle on Wednesday night narrated receiving distress call from Adeyinka, the Odo-Otin Council Chairman.
According to the speaker, Adeyinka called and informed him of being chased by three-vehicle convoy linked to Eniade.
‘I read with amazement the false and misleading narrative being circulated on social media by some APC supporters in Odo Otin regarding the disturbing incident involving the pursuit and attempted attack on the Executive Chairman of Odo Otin Local Government, Hon. Adewale Adeyinka, and the subsequent apprehension of two suspected individuals in Okuku.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state what I personally witnessed and the steps I took upon being alerted to the situation.
‘I was on my way from my office at the Osun State House of Assembly after concluding a World Press Conference when I received a distress call from the Executive Chairman of Odo Otin Local Government.
‘He informed me that he was being pursued by a three-vehicle convoy said to be associated with Francis Eniade.
‘Upon hearing of the pursuit and the imminent danger to his life, I immediately instructed him to make his way back to the Okuku Divisional Police Station, which, in that circumstances, was the safest place for him to seek protection.’ Egbedun wrote.
The Speaker further narrated how he had deployed his convoy and security personnel to the scene where Ayodeji and one other suspected hoodlum chasing the Odo-Otin council boss were already apprehended.
‘I thereafter proceeded towards Okuku with my convoy and security personnel. By the time we arrived, the Chairman had gained entry into the police station.
‘I drove straight into the station without any prior knowledge or suspicion of what had happened outside.
‘It was only after I got into the station that my attention was drawn to the fact that two men had reportedly been apprehended by members of the public and that a firearm was recovered from them.
‘Concerned that the situation could degenerate into mob action, I immediately instructed my Chief Detail to take the two men away from the crowd and place them in official custody.
‘I subsequently directed that the suspects be taken to Osogbo and handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS), alongside the firearm reportedly recovered from them, for proper investigation.
‘The suspects have since been handed over to the appropriate security authorities. It is now the responsibility of the relevant agencies to establish the facts surrounding the incident.’ He wrote/
Egbedun thereafter called for a thorough, impartial and professional investigation into the entire matter.
The probe, he maintained must include the identities of those apprehended, the circumstances surrounding the firearm and ammunition reportedly recovered, the ownership and purpose of the vehicles allegedly involved in the pursuit, and the events leading to the reported confrontation.
Egbedun rejected the allegations against him while harping on the need for the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to address Enitan’s threat against him and the Accord Party members.
‘Let me be unequivocal: I will not be drawn into the false narratives and deliberate misinformation being circulated by desperate political actors seeking to distort what actually transpired.
‘This incident once again reinforces the urgent need for the Inspector General of Police to investigate the viral threat video against me and other members of my party.
‘Political differences must never become a justification for violence, intimidation, threats or attempts to endanger human lives.
‘As Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, I remain firmly committed to the protection of lives, the rule of law, democratic values and the peaceful development of our dear state. I will not be intimidated. by threats, intimidation or acts of violence.’ He added.