Panic In Ekiti As Road Transporters Protest Killing Of Colleague

Fear gripped residents of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital yesterday as some members of the road transport association took to the streets to protest the killing of one of their colleagues, identified as Tope Ajayi.

Ajayi, a staunch supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a member of the Road Transport Employer Association of Nigeria in the state, was allegedly shot dead during a violent clash between supporters of the APC and Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Itaji Ekiti on Saturday.

There was tension in the town making the residents jittery, as some protesters, suspected to be RTEAN members in the state had mobilised their colleagues to launch a possible reprisal attack.

A lot of people who were stranded on the roads immediately ran into their houses while roads and streets were deserted for hours.

At Ekute Area of Ado-Ekiti, commercial, private vehicle owners and commercial motorcyclists were seen making emergency U-turn following reports that RTEAN members had taken over the Mobil junction.

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Men of the Nigerian army, police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were later deployed to some flashpoints in the state capital to avert breakdown of law and order.

The security agents were seen patrolling the streets in Hilux trucks to restore calm and normalcy.

Three Armored Personnel Carriers were seen stationed at Tosin Aluko Motor Park, Atikankan, Old garage, Ajilosun, Ijigbo and Oja Oba.

As at the time of filing this report normalcy was gradually returning to various parts of the state capital as residents, motorcyclists and motorists are now carrying out normal and lawful activities.

The popular Tosin Aluko Motor Park along Ado-Ikere road was under lock and key while all adjoining roads to the area were totally deserted.

When contacted, the state police public relations officer, Sunday Abutu, said the police had been able to quell the crisis and restored calm.

He added that the state police commissioner, Mr Morounkeji Adesina , had ordered heavy deployment of anti-riot and plain-cloth policemen to some of the identified flashpoints across the state, to ward off violence and bloodshed.

“The police commissioner and other security outfits have been trying to ensure that this election is violence- free, and other stakeholders, especially the political actors, must join us, because no election is worth the blood of any citizen.

“Concerning what has been happening in the political scene, the CP had ordered full investigations into reported cases of shooting and disruption and we are assuring you that those found guilty will be severely dealt with,” Abutu said.