No fewer than three people have been confirmed dead while dozens of others sustained injuries during a clash that erupted between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State.
It was gathered that the party members on Friday evening began shooting and mercilessly attacking themselves with guns, cutlasses, clubs, knives, broken bottles, charms, and other dangerous weapons in Osun East Senatorial District.
According to Tribune, during the clash, PDP members sources claimed that some armed political thugs from the APC camp attacked the residence of the homes of the father of the PDP candidate for the Ilesa East/Ilesa West/ Atakunmosa-East/Atakunmosa-West Federal Constituency, Olusanya Omirin, and the home of the father of the immediate past PDP Chairman of the State, Sunday Bisi in Ilesha East local government area of the state.
The attackers, who were said to have rained live bullets on their victims’ buildings, were said to have shot and injured scores of people during the hour-long shooting spree in the area where the attacks took place.
Omirin’s octogenarian father was said to have escaped by whiskers, while Bisi’s father was said to have been smuggled out of the house to avoid being killed by the attackers.
The situation, however, was said to have thrown people living nearby into a panic, with many of them evacuating their homes to avoid being killed or injured in the violent attacks.
In addition, a PDP member identified as Kolawole revealed that two of his party’s members were killed in Ilesha by APC members and charged the authorities with apprehending the perpetrators.
However, the APC refuted the claims, claiming that the PDP were the attackers who always terrorised its members, and that one of its members had been killed by PDP thugs.
However, in a statement signed by Dr. Akindele Adekunle, the PDP Acting Chairman in Osun State, he confirmed that the inhuman acts were committed by APC members.
According to the statement, “hoodlums in the service of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday descended on the homes of the father of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ilesa East/Ilesa West/ Atakunmosa-East/Atakunmosa-West Federal Constituency, Honourable Olusanya Omirin, in Ilesa East local government, causing major scare for the octonogorian who had to rush for safety as live bullets rain down on the building.”
“Similar despicable attack was visited on the home of the father of the immediate PDP Chairman of the State, Honourable Sunday Bisi, which threw residents, especially the PDP chief old man in palpable fear.”
“The attacks are a continuation of the APC’s pattern of violence to intimidate members and supporters of the PDP from active participation in the upcoming elections.”
“The rejected APC having realised the resolve of the people to vote against it has taken to violence and attacking our party members and innocent citizens to scare them away from the election,” the statement noted.
The PDP called on security agencies in the state to come to the rescue of PDP members and supporters, warning that it could not continue to guarantee the patience of members and supporters to the unceasing attacks of the APC.
Meanwhile, Sooko Lawal, the APC acting Chairman insisted that “a member of the party at Ward Nine, Irojo, Ilesa East Local Government Council Area of the state, Ebenezer Alaro by them and perpetrators of the act said to be operating on the directive of Sanya Omirin, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa-South Federal Constituency.”
While reacting to the crisis, the state police command spokesperson, Mrs Yemisi Opalola confirmed that it was true that, a report of a dead person killed in Ilesha was reported to the command adding that, investigations were ongoing on the matter.
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