Two feared killed as crisis rocks Osun motor park

Two people were feared killed in Ikire, Osun State, on Monday following an alleged attempt to take over a motor park at Naira and Kobo Junction in the town.

One of the videos of the incident obtained by our correspondent showed a man sitting in a vehicle and appearing to be dead, with an open wound on his head.

In another picture, a man was seen lying face down in a pool of blood.

Sources who spoke to PUNCH Online on the condition of anonymity said drivers allegedly loyal to the All Progressives Congress had been in control of the park until some drivers who were said to be members of the Accord Party arrived at about 10:30 am and allegedly attempted to take over the park.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said during a telephone interview, “A political thug named said to be working for APC and his team were at the motorpark in Ikire around Naira and Kobo area in Ikire when some political thugs from Accord stormed the area around 10:30am to take over the place.

“During the melee, a new Toyota Hilux donated to Ikire Divisional Police Station was damaged. The windscreen was smashed and the tyres damaged.”

Another resident of Ikire, who spoke on the incident during a telephone chat, told our correspondent that, “The Accord Party members were trying to take over the park from those of the APC extraction, and during the mayhem, an Accord member was shot.

“After the killing, the Accord members went to the palace of Akire of Ikire to report that the Divisional Police Officer was involved in the mayhem.

“During the meeting at the palace, police claimed that the Accord members abducted the Secretary of Palm Oil Seller Association in Ikire and it was while chasing the kidnappers that an exchange of fire occurred and in the process, a stray bullet hit one person.”

Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, were unsuccessful.

Calls to his mobile line rang out, while responses to text messages sent to him were still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.

Details soon…