Ikire killings: APC, Accord trade blame over fatal motor park shooting

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Accord have traded accusations over a shooting at a motor park in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, which left a commercial driver and a passenger dead.

The APC alleged that political thugs linked to Accord abducted and tortured one of its members, Sunkanmi Abiodun, at a motor park before attacking police officers who responded to a distress call.

Accord, however, accused the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Irewole Division, Bamidele Olatona, of opening fire on unarmed civilians.

The APC, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, on Monday, condemned the killing of two persons and the attempted abduction of its member.

The party alleged that Accord supporters who had fled Ikire after the killing of former Irewole Local Government Chairman Remi Abass returned to the town following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the governorship election.

According to the APC, “the suspected thugs had allegedly been harassing and assaulting members of the opposition party, particularly members associated with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).”

The APC claimed that the suspected thugs took over motor parks in Ikire and abducted Abiodun, taking him to one of the parks where he was allegedly tortured.

It said the DPO, Olatona, accompanied by police officers, responded to a distress call concerning the alleged abduction.

The party alleged that the hoodlums attacked the police team and seized a rifle from one of the officers, prompting the DPO to request reinforcement.

The APC said an exchange of gunfire subsequently occurred after the alleged attackers opened fire on the police, resulting in the deaths of commercial driver Saheed Akinrole, also known as Elena, and a passenger.

“We condemn the killing of the innocent persons and the abduction of our member by the Accord Party thugs,” the APC said.

The party also called on the Osun State Police Command to strengthen security in Ikire and investigate the incident, including the alleged seizure of the police firearm.

It commended Olatona for his efforts to rescue its abducted member and urged the police to arrest and investigate those responsible for the alleged violence.

However, Accord rejected the APC’s account of the incident, describing the shooting at Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire as “barbaric, unprofessional, and unprovoked”.

In a statement signed by its Osun State Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, the party alleged that Olatona personally entered the garage and opened fire on civilians.

Accord maintained that there was no crisis or attempt by any group to take over the park when the shooting occurred, insisting that normal operations were ongoing.

The party called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Osun State Police Command and the Police Service Commission to investigate Olatona’s conduct, while demanding his arrest, psychological evaluation, dismissal and prosecution.