Violence was unleashed on Easter Sunday when hoodlums suspected to be in the service of politicians opposed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its members in Ifo Local Government Area, attacked the Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Kunle Oluomo, burned his constituency office in Ifo town and also set ablaze, five vehicles on ground.
The Constituency office of the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal House of Representatives member, Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, was also not spared as the violence – driven hoodlums stormed and burnt it down.
The hoodlums seizing the opportunity of the grand finale of the town’s annual Akoogun festival vent their spleen on Oluomo properties and others on the supposition that the party and its chieftains invited the Police to the Akoogun festival being celebrated in the town.
It was learnt that Operatives of the Special Anti–Robbery Squad (SARS) had trailed one of the boys suspected to have taken part in the violent opposition to the APC in Ifo during the last general elections in the state, to the venue of the Akoogun festival for gun possession, and got him arrested with the gun.
But his colleagues allegedly encircled the police, stoutly prevented his being taken away, and succeeded in retrieving the said gun from the policemen.
The Nation learnt further that the hoodlums also attempted to snatch an AK47 from one of the policemen and in a fierce struggle for the riffle between the police and the daring hoodlums, gunshot rang out and one of the boys was gunned down while the policemen fled the scene.
It was further gather that the killing provoked the hoodlums who quickly regrouped and stormed the constituency office of Kunle Oluomo, razed vehicles on ground and constituency building.
Oluomo’s properties destroyed during the attack include office, five vehicles (three Mercedes 42 seater buses, one Isuzu Luxurious bus and a 36 – seater coaster bus) being used for free school shuttle pupils and students in Ifo 1 State Constituency.
Newsmen called the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, for his reaction but he did not answer the calls.
However, Oluomo who was palpably worried by the state’s steady slide into violence, particularly in Ifo in the last six months, has called on the security agencies to pay closer attention to the area lest the situation slips out of hand.
Oluomo stated: “This to invite the attention of security agencies to Ogun State Ifo to forestall total breakdown of law and order.
“Monday was the final Akoogun festival in Ifo and one of the boys opposed to APC during the last election invited many of the political thugs and unionists that were involved in attacks against me and APC supporters during the elections.
“I learnt SARS trailed one of the boys to the venue for gun possession and got him arrested with the gun, others surrounded the police to prevent the boy from being taken away, took the gun back from the policemen and even attempted to seize AK47 from one of the policemen, in the melee, one of the boys was killed and the policemen escaped from the scene.
“The boys later regrouped and started attacking any APC members or supporters in sight, accusing them of inviting police, they later mobilized themselves in large numbers, moved to my constituency office and set ablaze 5 vehicles ( three Mercedes 42 seater buses, one Isuzu Luxurious bus and a 36 seater coaster bus) that I use for free school shuttle, the entire office was razed down and they later moved to the constituency of Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Rep, Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka and burnt it down as well.
“I must state here that they have been trailing me since i won the 9th March election, in fact, I have to seek police protection for my house and office for the first two weeks after the election because they keep threatening that they will bring me down on or before May 29th.
“I hereby appeal to all securities agencies in Ogun State to please give special attention to Ifo (I understand they planned another attack for today again) and order thorough investigation into matter to bring the perpetrators to book.”
