Armed Thugs Attack APC Members In Ikirun

Armed political hoodlums suspected to have been sponsored by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola-led IleriOluwa faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday attacked members of the party who belong to Hon Rasaq Salinsile faction.

The Salinsile faction was holding its Federal Constituency tour meeting in Ikirun, the headquarters of Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency at an open ground beside the Ifelodun Local Government Council Secretariat when the thugs came on two different occasions to launch attack on them.

It was gathered that the hoodlums had earlier come around 11am to destroy the canopy and chairs to be used for the progrramme.

The thugs, according to the State Secretary of the APC, Mr Adelani Baderinwa, came from inside the Local Government Secretariat when the Caretaker Chairmen of the Council, Mr Hassan Okanlawon, was around.

According to Baderinwa, the hoodlums were able to scare people away without any seriouscasualty in the morning attack.

Baderinwa said the thugs later retreated to the council secretariat after the first attack and the APC members re-converged on the venue to continue the programme, thinking that everything would be fine.

He said the hoodlums later came around 2pm when the APC Chairman, Salinsile, was about to give his speech.

The former commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state said: “We were holding our Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency meeting at an open space, gogoro area, Ikirun. It is close to the Local Government Secretariat.

“Around 11am, these hoodlums, numbering about 25 came from inside the Local Government Secretariat, they started chasing our people. They destroyed the chairs and canopies to be used for the programme. They went back into the secretariat after that. We thought that was the worse they could do, but we were wrong.

“We re-converged on the venue and we started our programme. Around 2pm, when the APC chairman was about to give his speech, the hoodlums came from behind, shooting into the air and attempted to unleash machete cut on members of the party. But the security operatives on ground repelled them.

“Gunshots rented the air as the security operatives on ground engaged them in gun duel. They beat retreat when they discovered that they could not have smooth operation. But they had beaten some of our people, the elder ones especially.”

It was gathered that one of the thugs that came to attack the APC members was caught and beaten blue-black by some youths in the town who felt the action of the thugs was uncalled for.

The hoodlum was later handed over to security agents on ground, it was learnt.