ONDO 2020: SECURITY CHIEFS VISIT OWO, ASSESS WANTON DESTRUCTION, ATTACK BY SUSPECTED PDP THUGS

•I Am Not PDP Member, PDP Thugs Attacked Me, Jegede lied – Victim

•PDP Wage War On Owo Community – Owo High Hope Club

•Other Victims recount Ordeal, As Shells of Bullets from Sophisticated Weapons litter Owo Street

The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Mr. Bolaji Salami and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security And Civil Defense Corps, Philip Ayuba have visited Ijebu-Owo and Ipele in Owo local government area of Ondo State to assess the level of wanton destruction carried out by suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the town yesterday.

Moving round Owo town, from Mobil in Ijebu-Owo to Aro street Junction down to Ipele town, the suspected PDP thugs destroyed over twenty vehicles and injured over ten persons who were initially receiving treatment at Ipele Hospital before they were transferred to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) due to complicated medical situations.

Mrs. Nike Alale who said she recently returned from Norway narrated how she was attacked while buying fuel at Bovas Gas Station at Aro Junction in Owo.

She said:”We were buying fuel here and all of a sudden we heard gun shots. We had to run inside the fuel station office. We were watching them as they destroyed my vehicle. They were shouting “Eyi La fe”. They stole all the valuables in my car including my phones and car documents.

“They came down from a PDP campaign convoy. We saw them shouting kill them! Kill them! There is no APC sticker on my car. I am not an APC member. This is unfair.”

The Owo High Hope Club was not speared in the attack. The leader of the club, Mr. Deji Ogunbodede said members of the club were drinking peacefully before the PDP thugs attacked.
He said ”We were drinking peaceful and suddenly we heard gunshots from the PDP campaign convoy. Some boys entered this place with guns. They wore PDP vests and caps. They aimed at us but we ran away. Look at bullets all over the floor. Our cars are destroyed. They packed our phones. Over 30 phones were packed away by the thugs. They broke my car and carted away all valuables inside including the photocopy of the car documents. They broke our fridge and took bottles of beer away.

“We were surprised. This club is not for APC. It belongs to Owo people. We see this attack as an attack on Owo town. It’s a taboo. People don’t bring war to Owo. The worse part was that they were shielded by the Police, Civil Defence and the Soldiers.”

The branch chairman of Ipele NURTW, Bukunmi Ojo, who is on the hospital bed said he was beaten thoroughly and stabbed severally by the PDP thugs in Jegede’s campaign convoy.

Ojo said Jegede lied on Channels Television yesterday when he referred to him as a member of the PDP.

He said:” Jegede’s thugs attacked me. I am not a member of the PDP as claimed by Jegede on TV yesterday. Everyone in Ipele knows that I am an APC member.

Afolabi Ibidapo narrated how the PDP stormed the APC secretariat at Ipele and descended on all party members holding their meetings peacefully.

Several vehicles and motorcycles belonging to APC members that were destroyed in Ipele were seen by the Security chiefs who were also in the town.

Other persons attacked and still on the hospital bed receiving medical attention are; Tunde Oke, Aladenika Bade and Abraham Steven.

Shell of bullets from sophisticated weapons were recovered from the scene of the incident

Addressing Journalists, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Salami flanked by the commandant of the NCDSC, Mr. Ayuba said, he has gone round and saw that many properties were damaged, and scores of persons were injured.
While assuring that the perpetrators will be brought to book, the Police boss, said investigation will commence to get to the root of the matter.

On the October 10 governorship election, he said: “I have always assured the people of Ondo state that security will be total and everybody will be allowed to vote for the party of their choice.”

He identified the shells of bullet recovered from the scene of the incident as that of Pistol, Ak 47 and pump action which he said are prohibited arms for civilians.