Osun 2022: PDP, APC in war of words over Osogbo violence

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the South West Security Network Agency, Amotekun Osun, with the active collaboration of the Osun State Police Command, has been involved in the systematic killing and maiming of its members.

The Osun PDP, which called for a change in the Osun Police Command leadership architecture, also alleged that thugs backed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) actively aided by policemen and Amotekun operatives were involved in the violence.

The allegation, contained in a statement Signed by Akindele Adekunle, Chairman, Caretaker Transition Committee, Osun PDP, was made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday in Osogbo.

He revealed that political thugs supported by armed policemen and Amotekun had started going to houses of PDP members.

As a result of the violent raids, the Osun PDP alleged that two PDP of its members were killed on Tuesday, while more than eight were injured.

According to the statement, “The rampaging thugs officially condoned and sponsored by the APC State government attacked the housing quarters of a PDP chieftain at Osogbo, shooting his families and carting away his vehicles.

“As at the time of this statement, two members of his household are dead, while he escaped death by chance. The family members attested to it that the thugs were accompanied by police and Amotekun operatives.

“At Iwara area of Ilesa, the same team of thugs and policemen raided the house of two PDP chieftains, wounding many members of their household through gunshots. Across Osun State, our members are reporting increasing cases of physical intimidation and harassment.”

The party, while assuring that it remained committed to a peaceful election in Osun State, warned that no level of violent agenda can stop the people from exercising their right to elect a capable leader as their governor.

“As much as we are committed to peaceful politicking and as we appeal to our members to be law abiding, our patience is wearing out. We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately redeploy the Osun state Commissioner of Police for aiding and abetting political thuggery.

“The State-sponsored violence is reaching a boiling point as the APC agents of terror are now going house to house ahead of the July 16 elections,” it said.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command has stated that the two dead persons were shot by operatives of Amotekun Osun.

Describing their deaths as a murder incident in a press statement signed by the Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, it revealed that both Waheed Akinpelu and Kazeem Rasaq were killed at about 9:00am on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

“The preliminary investigation conducted revealed that some youths at Sabo, plantation area of Osogbo, Osun State were allegedly attacked and shot by the South West Security Network (Amotekun Corps), which prompted some youths to embark on a protest against the action of the corps.

“In view of this, the house of the Field Marshal of the Amotekun corps, Comrade Amitolu Shittu was attacked by some angry youths and he immediately called for the assistance of the Police, which the Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode, psc responded to by drafting officers to the scene to restore normalcy.

“Therefore, the CP wishes to use this medium to condole with the families of the victims and admonish the youths, individuals or groups to ‘sheath their sword’, they should not engage in jungle justice, and allow justice to take its course as discreet investigation into the matter has commenced and the outcome will soon be made public.”

The statement added that the Osun Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode urges members of the public to go about their legitimate businesses, as Police will not relent in discharging its constitutional responsibility of protection of lives and property.

The Osun APC has also dismissed the allegation of hiring thugs to attack Osun PDP members in Osogbo.

The Osun APC Chairman, Gboyega Famodun, who described the allegation as misleading and baseless, added that the party remained law abiding, responsible and will never resort to violence nor engage in any act capable of disrupting the peace of the State.

“From what we gathered, the sum of N7million given to a certain group of thugs led by one Ajagungbade Emir to vandalise the various billboards of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in different parts of the State, was the cause of the violent attack.

“Emir is new in the PDP and thugs who have been with the party for long were unhappy that a new person who just joined the party was given the contract at their own expense. This was the genesis of the ongoing violence among the factions of political thugs in the PDP. It will be recalled that the media reported how the PDP thugs also engaged in a free-for-all fight at the party’s Secretariat, shooting themselves in Osogbo last Sunday.

“It is also untrue that the Amotekun and the Police aided APC thugs in attacking members of the PDP. The security outfits only performed their own official duty by intervening in the crisis among the thugs in the PDP. The attempt to blackmail them by the PDP cannot stand, and we urge the public to disregard the lies and propaganda of the sinking party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our party does not have any connection with the latest violent attack perpetrated by political thugs loyal to the PDP. The Osun APC remains law-abiding, responsible, peace-loving and we will never resort to violence nor engage in any act capable of disrupting the peace of the State.

The Osun Amotekun, earlier on Tuesday, denied involvement in the killing of the duo.