Some unknown thugs on Saturday night vandalised a petrol station and bakery owned by the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan.
This followed the absence of the deputy governor at a factional state congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) organised by the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
Meanwhile, there are suspicions in some quarters that the Chairman of the Motor Park Management System in the state, Lamidi Mukaila, popularly called Auxiliary was behind the vandalism.
Our correspondent reports that the cold war between Makinde and his deputy was obvious on Saturday when the deputy governor attended a book launch while the congress was ongoing.
It was learnt that the thugs arrived at Dayream Petrol Station, Agugu around 8pm, hours after some thugs had attacked the factional congress of the PDP where more than 100 vehicles were vandalised.
A ward chairman of the party was also brutalised and is currently receiving treatment.
A former factional state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Oyo State, Mukaila, aka Auxiliary, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for conspiracy to murder in 2016.
He and some four other accused persons were convicted and sentenced for conspiracy in the death of some individuals, including a final-year medical student, Adekunle Oladipupo.
Upon returning from prison, Governor Makinde appointed him as the chairman of the Motor Park Management System, a development that generated negative reactions from the public.
Meanwhile, Olaniyan has reported Auxiliary to the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing him of attacking his petrol station and bakery along with his thugs.
SaharaReoorters learnt that the police invited Auxiliary, but he denied the allegations, saying, “The deputy governor is my father.”
Olaniyan, our correspondent learnt had also petitioned the state police command, alleging that his convoy was being trailed.
The vandalised petrol station and bakery are managed by the wife of the deputy governor, Prof. Amdalat Olaniyan.
A source close to the deputy governor told SaharaReporters that: ”Initially, the police asked the deputy governor why he did not inform the governor who is the chief security officer of the state but he replied that he is the affected person and the police are the appropriate quarters to channel such petition.
“In fact, some people in the deputy governor’s camp, such as his aides, also witnessed how he was being trailed. The deputy governor didn’t stop at that, he went to the DSS. He was there for three hours.
”I think that prompted the police to invite Auxiliary for questioning. The police are looking for ways to further investigate the matter because the commissioner of police is working with the governor.” (SaharaReporters)
