Owo residents recount experience after APC, PDP clash

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

 

 

Victims of Tuesday’s clash between suspected thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Owo Local Government have recounted how they were robbed and beaten up.

The political parties had engaged in a war of words after the attack that left 13 persons injured and over 20 vehicles destroyed.

The governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, alleged that his convoy was attacked at Ipele and Owo township by heavily armed APC thugs, while one man, Amuda Sikiru, was shot in the face and abdomen.

He added that a truck in his convoy was burnt down.

But the APC campaign spokesman, Olatunde Richard, alleged that it was Jegede who ordered his thugs to unleash attacks on the people of Ipele and Ijebu in Owo Local Government.

He said the PDP members went berserk when no one received them into Owo town.

The victims of the attack spoke when Police Commissioner Mr. Bolaji Salami and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Philip Ayuba, visited Ijebu-Owo and Ipele to ascertain the level of destruction carried out by suspected thugs.

One of the victims, Mrs. Nike Alale, said she was attacked while buying fuel at Bovas Gas Station at Aro Junction in Owo.

She said: “We were buying fuel here and all of a sudden we heard gunshots. We had to run inside the fuel station office. We watched them as they destroyed my vehicle. They were shouting “Eyi La fe”. They stole all the valuables in my car, including my phones and this car document.

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“They came down from a PDP campaign convoy. We saw them shouting kill them! Kill them! There is no APC sticker on my car. I am not an APC member. This is unfair.”

The leader of the Owo High Hope Club, Mr. Deji Ogunbodede, said members of the club were drinking peacefully before the attack.

He said: “We were drinking peacefully and suddenly we heard gunshots. Some boys entered this place with guns. They wore PDP vests and caps. They aimed at us, but we ran away. Look at bullets all over the floor. Our cars were destroyed. They packed our phones.

Over 30 phones were stolen from here. They broke into my car and carted away valuables, including the photocopy of the car documents. They broke our fridge and took bottles of beer away.”

“We were surprised. This club is not for APC. It belongs to Owo people. We see this attack as an attack on Owo town. It’s a taboo. People don’t bring war to Owo. The worst part was that they were shielded by the police, Civil Defence personnel and soldiers.”

The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ipele branch, Bukunmi Ojo, who was hospitalised, said he was beaten up and stabbed by the attackers.

He said the PDP governorship candidate, Jegede, lied on Channels Television yesterday when he referred to him as a member of the PDP.

“I am not a PDP member as claimed by Jegede on TV yesterday. Everyone at Ipele knows that I am an APC member,” Ojo said.

The police commissioner said he went round and saw that belongings were damaged and many people were injured.

He said the perpetrators would be arrested and prosecuted.

Police spokesman Tee-Leo Ikoro said several persons have been arrested.

He said investigation was on to unravel those behind the attack.