APC, Accord Trade Blame Over Ikire Killings

Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of certain politicians over the alleged killing of two people and attacks on law enforcement agents in the Ikire area of the state.

At a press conference addressed by the Osun APC media cluster and delivered by Mr Oluwafunsho Fagboungbe in Osogbo on Monday, the party called on the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to immediately deploy maximum force to reclaim Ikire, secure all local government secretariats, and recover all stolen police weaponry.

APC blamed the current violence that claimed two people in the town on Monday on previous public utterances, encouragement of aggression against APC members by influential members of the Accord Party, who they accused of providing clear cover for the criminals, adding that those reckless statements have borne tragic results on the streets of Ikire.

The party charged the police with providing security for local government secretariats across the state and covering motor parks.

But the Accord Party, in a statement, condemned the unprofessional and unprovoked shooting incident at the Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire on Monday, which resulted in the tragic deaths of a commercial bus driver, Saheed Akinrole, and an innocent passenger.

The party, in a statement signed by its Osun State chapter chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, accused the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Irewole Division, Mr Bamidele Olatona, of personally igniting the problem by firing sporadically into a crowd of unarmed civilians.

“There was no crisis or conflict at the said park. There was no takeover bid by any group. Normal park operations were ongoing when the DPO launched the attacks.

The party contended that the continued presence of an unhinged, heavily armed officer operating with complete impunity poses an immediate and dangerous threat to public safety in Irewole Local Government.