One reportedly arrested, others injured as political groups clash in Ibadan

One person has been reportedly arrested while others were critically injured but no life was lost during a clash between rival political groups at Iwo road axis in Ibadan North-East local government area on Monday.

An eyewitness account reveals that there was an exchange of gunshots and free usage of weapons including cudgels and cutlasses during the attack which lasted for several minutes.

The incident which happened barely a few hours after the declaration of the former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeniyan, left people wondering what could have been responsible for the clash.

The clash, as reliably informed, disrupted the free flow of traffic at the Iwo road end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway as traders were forced to abandon their wares while residents in the area were forced to remain indoors.

A resident who preferred anonymity said the shooting started around Total Filling station along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and sprawled to the Testing ground area, a few metres away from the residence of the former chieftain of the PDP.

He said the people of the area initially mistaken the clash for a robbery incident, noting their past experiences in the area.

According to him, “we later discovered that it was a clash between rival groups but I cannot confirm to you whether they are rival political groups or rival transport workers groups.

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“However, we were told that an identity card belonging to a member of a particular transport union was recovered at the venue of the clash.

“If not for the timely intervention of the security operatives, including the police, what we are referring to as an ordinary clash would have degenerated into a serious bloodletting.”

Meanwhile, the State Police Command has confirmed the incident as that of a rival political clash, not bank robbery as being rumoured.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, in a statement made available to Nigeria Tribune, dispelled the rumoured of a robbery incident along the Iwo road axis on Monday.

The statement reads: “The Oyo State Police Command wishes to dispel rumours making the round about the occurrence of a robbery incident along Iwo road axis, Ibadan North-East local government area around 1500hrs as completely fictitious imagination of peddlers of fake news.

“Preliminary findings revealed that there was a fracas among rival political groups and associates which was swiftly and professionally handled by operatives of the command both stationary and on patrol along the axis,

“The Commissioner of Police while appealing to all and sundry seeks a more productive collaboration with the citizenry in the areas of providing credible and timely information void of bias, sentiment and unverified news items acceptable of truncating the relative tranquillity presently being enjoyed in the state.”