Hoodlums attack Atiku campaign office in Ondo

HOODLUMS suspected to be political thugs on Tuesday night invaded the campaign office of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, in Akure, Ondo state capital, destroying property, billboards and posters of the candidate within the premises.

The suspects who reportedly attacked the office in the middle of the night also beat and injured the security guard who was at the campaign office.

The Campaign Organisation, however, alleged the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of sponsoring the political thugs to attack the campaign organisation office located at Ijapo area of the state capital.

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In a statement issued and signed by the spokesperson of the organisation, Mr Kayode Fasua, who described the development as unfortunate called on the security operatives in the state to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to book.

Fasua explained that the security guard at the office was beaten and tied before the hoodlums destroyed some materials and billboards, banners and posters at the premises.

He said “They arrived in the wee hours of the day, at a time the security guards in the Ijapo, Akure area of our office would have closed from duty and descended on our campaign office.

“Numbering about 10, and fully armed, they descended on our private security guard, beat him to a pulp and then tied him with ropes, before they proceeded to dismantle the Atiku billboards, banners and then tearing all his posters.

“Not done, these agents of the devil went ahead to break window panes and kept shouting “where are those documents, where are those documents, and started shooting sporadically.”

Fasua, however, said the campaign office reported the incident to the police in order to bring the hoodlums to book

Also speaking, the Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede in described the attack as “barbaric and alien to the spirit of democracy that the Nigerian society should embrace in a fast-advancing world”.

He also demanded that the perpetrators must be brought to book but frowned over the development saying, this is not good for our democracy.

But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Femi Joseph said the command was unaware of the incident, stating that “there was no report of such an incident at the police station.”

Also, the state chairman of the APC, Mr Ade Adetimehin, denied the involvement of the ruling party in the incident.

He said ” We are not aware of the incident, if it truly occurred, our members cannot be involved, we are a peace-loving, law-abiding political party, we don’t involve in thuggery or violence. I will implore the security agents to investigate the matter and fish out the perpetrators.”