There was a pandemonium in Osogbo on Monday evening as Police officers and operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps on the entourage of the former Governor of the State and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola shot sporadically into the air.
InsightMedia has reported that the incident which happened at the busy Station Road near popular Orisumbare market and made many marketers run Helter skelter for the safety of the lives.
According to an eyewitness, Kamiludeen Lamina, the incident caused panic around the busy road as many people abandon their shops and took to their heels.
Lamina, who is the Executive Chairman of World Institute for Peace, a non governmental organization, told InsightMedia in phone conversation that the Former Governor pulled out his head in the open roof car. He said shooting was so intense that many people sustained injuries while running for their lives.
Lamina said, “I was at the Orisumbare market to get some items. I just started hearing gunshots. We all thought it was bank robbery on any of the banks at the area. We started running but I saw the Minister who pulled out his head from the open roof car.
“The shooters are police officers and NSCDC officials. They shot from Orisumbare market to Dugbe. It was a sporadic shooting for several minutes. You can go and ask the market women on that area. Everybody abandoned his or her goods and ran away. The commotion was huge.” Lamina added.
Aregbesola was in Ijebu-jesa earlier in the day for the Ijesha North Federal Constituency meeting of the Osun Progressives, the splinter group within the All Progressives Congress loyal to him.
Reacting to development, Publicity Secretary of the faction, Abiodun Agboola described what transpired as an attack on the former Governor’s convoy by some political hoodlums. He said the attack was repelled by security details.
Agboola said, “Aregbesola’s convoy was attacked by some armed political thugs at Orisunmibare, Osogbo while coming from Ilesa around 5:30pm today.
“According to report, the gun-wielding political hoodlums waylaid his convoy and started shooting sporadically on sighting the Minister standing on his open roof vehicle and waiving at a mammoth crowd who were hailing and jubilating at seeing their former governor.
“Jubilant residents who were following Aregbesola scampered for safety to escape being hit by stray bullet.
“A team of combined security operatives from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service and Department of State Security, who were among Aregbesola’s convoy, stepped down from the vehicles and started shooting in a bid to scare away the armed thugs.
“For about twenty minutes, Old Garage Area was thrown into panic as traders and road users ran helter-skelter as a result of resounding gunshots from the thugs and security operatives.”
The State Government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode condemned the shooting, stating that it’s aimed at disrupting the peace of the State.
Egbemode said, “We have credible reports that some misguided cowards have invaded Osogbo, the Osun State capital with armed thugs to foment trouble. These miscreants and their kingpin started shooting as they raced through the town.
“Their interest is simply to attempt to thwart the peace of the state and create fear in the minds of the good people of Osun counting on a long-lost influence.
“The Government of Osun hereby warns that there are no sacred cows in the state. No one is above the law here regardless of their past glories or future aspirations. Security agencies have been well briefed about the activities of these mischief makers, who have set themselves on a collision course with the law.
“Anyone, irrespective of their office or station, caught disrupting the peace of Osun will answer to the law.”
