NO fewer than 20 people, among them a pastor, were killed with several others sustaining gunshot injuries in a renewed clash between members of the factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ibadan, Oyo State, in the early hours of Sunday.
Also, about 20 shops were razed down while 30 others were looted and vehicles numbering 50 were vandalised by union members during the clash which lasted five hours.
Most of the victims were said to be passengers, who were waiting for night buses at the Total petrol station on the Ibadan-Ife road.
An eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that the people were taken unawares by the NURTW members, led by Mr Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary, who was said to have gone to reclaim the motor park, which was taken over by members loyal to Alhaji Lateef Akinsola Oluwatoki, also known as Tokyo, last Monday.
It will be recalled that last Monday, a faction of the union, led by Tokyo, had clashed with the other faction at the Iwo road interchange, during which one person was killed and 10 others sustained injuries.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the hoodlums had arrived at the motor park around 11.45 p.m. and started shooting sporadically at the filling station, during which people were killed and others injured.
It was learnt that 33 people were taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and that 14 had been discharged.
A police source told the Nigerian Tribune that causality was more than last Monday’s.
“Where were journalists when the corpses were still on the ground?” a policeman had asked.
When Nigerian Tribune visited the Iwo road interchange during the clash, some of the shops torched were still smouldering.
An official of the state fire service, Mrs Olunike Olayinka, said they received distress call around 9.30 a.m. and by 10.00 a.m., when they arrived, the shops were still burning.
According to her, 20 shops were burnt with property worth millions of naira destroyed in the inferno.
She said that the arrival of fire-fighters halted the spread of the fire to the adjourning shops at the park.
No fewer than 50 mobile policemen with eight patrol vehicles and four Armoured Personnel Carriers were on the ground to restore, law and order.
At the time of filing this report, mobile policemen had taken over the control of the park while both human and vehicular traffics were being checked, as people were being ordered to raise their hands.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo State Police Command, SP Olatunji Ajimuda, who confirmed the clash, said that about 25 members of the union had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Speaking on the number of people allegedly killed, he said he was not aware of the number of those killed but that some people were taken to the UCH.
Meanwhile, state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, on Sunday, said his administration might reconsider proscribing the state chapter of the NURTW in the interest of peace in the state.
He said he would announce his position today, after consultation with senior members of his administration and other stakeholders.
Senator Ajimobi said this during an inspection of the scene of renewed violent clash between the factions of the NURTW at Iwo Road area of Ibadan.
The governor promised that the new administration would not tolerate brigandage, violence and thuggery in the state, as emphasised in his inauguration address.
The police officer in charge of the detachment stationed at the scene, Olaniyi Abimbola, who briefed the governor, said the situation had been brought under control since their arrival.
He added that the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the violence, adding that they had been directed by the commissioner of police to fish out the perpetrators of the violence.
At the scene of the violence, passers-by and even those on motorcycles raised their hands as they passed through the troubled spots, indicating to the policemen that they were peaceful, law abiding and not supporters of the NURTW.
Meanwhile, the factional leader of the NURTW in the state, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi also known as Auxiliary, has said the renewed violence in the union is as a result of forceful take-over of motor parks by Alhaji Abdulateef Akinsola, Tokyo.
He said Tokyo had been directing his loyalists to take charge of the parks as soon as the new governor was declared winner of the April 26 election, adding that Tokyo’s intention was to tarnish the image of the new administration.
Auxiliary said it would be “fire-for fire” if Tokyo and his loyalists attempted further onslaught on him and his supporter or continued the violence in an attempt to control the management of the motor parks.
Also, A former leader of the NURTW in the state, Alhaji Wasiu Abubakar, also known as Tawakalitu, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Adisa Bolanta, alleging threat to his life from Tokyo.
In a petition written by his lawyer, which was also copied the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone II and the State Director of State Security Service, the former leader said he had been singled out for elimination by Tokyo for his peace-making efforts and advice to the national headquarters of NURTW.
Alhaji Abubakar, therefore, requested an investigation into the complaint, adding that Tokyo should be responsible for “anything that happens” to him.
He said he would announce his position today, after consultation with senior members of his administration and other stakeholders.
Senator Ajimobi said this during an inspection of the scene of renewed violent clash between the factions of the NURTW at Iwo Road area of Ibadan.
The governor promised that the new administration would not tolerate brigandage, violence and thuggery in the state, as emphasised in his inauguration address.
The police officer in charge of the detachment stationed at the scene, Olaniyi Abimbola, who briefed the governor, said the situation had been brought under control since their arrival.
He added that the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the violence, adding that they had been directed by the commissioner of police to fish out the perpetrators of the violence.
At the scene of the violence, passers-by and even those on motorcycles raised their hands as they passed through the troubled spots, indicating to the policemen that they were peaceful, law abiding and not supporters of the NURTW.
Meanwhile, the factional leader of the NURTW in the state, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi also known as Auxiliary, has said the renewed violence in the union is as a result of forceful take-over of motor parks by Alhaji Abdulateef Akinsola, Tokyo.
He said Tokyo had been directing his loyalists to take charge of the parks as soon as the new governor was declared winner of the April 26 election, adding that Tokyo’s intention was to tarnish the image of the new administration.
Auxiliary said it would be “fire-for fire” if Tokyo and his loyalists attempted further onslaught on him and his supporter or continued the violence in an attempt to control the management of the motor parks.
Also, A former leader of the NURTW in the state, Alhaji Wasiu Abubakar, also known as Tawakalitu, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Adisa Bolanta, alleging threat to his life from Tokyo.
In a petition written by his lawyer, which was also copied the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone II and the State Director of State Security Service, the former leader said he had been singled out for elimination by Tokyo for his peace-making efforts and advice to the national headquarters of NURTW.
Alhaji Abubakar, therefore, requested an investigation into the complaint, adding that Tokyo should be responsible for “anything that happens” to him.
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