Six injured, as hoodlums attack ex-commissioner, Adeleke fingered

Ex-Osun State Commissioner for Works, Mr Remi Omowaiye, and his team were on Friday reportedly attacked by some suspected hoodlums at Isida Area of Ilesa, Osun State.

Omowaiye who spoke to The PUNCH said those behind the attack were known thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party, adding that six people were injured, while two vehicles in his entourage were also damaged during the incident.

Explaining further how the incident occurred, Omowaiye said he had done to the area to give Christmas packages to traders in Isida Market.

The ex-Commissioner said, ” I left my office about 5 pm and we went to Ibala market where I gave them a cow and six bags of rice. I left there and went to Isida market, (Ilesa) when I got there, I gave them the cow and their six bags of rice and it was during that process, we saw some PDP thugs coming from different angles and started throwing stones and bottles.

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“A few minutes after, they stabbed one of our youth leaders and one other boy named Tosin. Then, we started hearing gunshots and everyone scrambled to safety.

“In the process, my security men tried to move me into another vehicle. I was in a Venza and they smashed the windscreen of the Venza.

“My Highlander was riddled with bullets and the screens badly damaged. So, we had to just scramble for safety. We went straight to the police station because we saw that a lot of people have been injured and we didn’t want to take the laws into our hands.

“I heard one of the voices saying they are acting on the instruction of the governor. So, the governor should face governance and stop attacking us. We have an election in February and I know what they want to do is to intimidate a lot of us to leave the State and we are not going to do that. If anything should happen to us, Governor Adeleke should be held responsible. About six people sustained various levels of injuries but no life was lost. Two cars were damaged.”

Reacting, the Director of Media of Osun PDP, Oladele Olabamiji, said the allegation against Adeleke and his party was untrue, saying Omowaiye should be investigated for making such a claim.

Olabamiji said, “with the way Nigerian political thugs operate, do you think somebody will just come out and say ‘I’m acting on the instruction of the governor and I’m here to attack you on behalf of the governor? That is too petty and it’s coming from someone who found himself in a position of privilege. That has been the way he operates.

“To me, he knows he has exhausted all his goodwill in Ijesaland. Prior to the last gubernatorial election, he was terrorizing people with thugs in Ilesa and perhaps, he is conscious of possible repercussions. I understand he has not stepped foot in Ilesa since his party lost that election.

“The information I got was that yesterday, he surrounded himself with police and thugs and think he should go to Ilesa and show people he has not run away and he felt the only way to announce himself was to start shooting sporadically, especially, while traders were holding their meeting at the market.”