Police Restore Calm After Gunshots Disrupt Ondo APC Primary

The Ondo State Police Command on Monday restored calm in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after gunshots disrupted the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Ondo Central, triggering panic across parts of the city.

The incident occurred at Ward 5, Ebenezer African Church Primary School, Amudipe Street, during the party’s primary election, forcing residents, traders, and motorists to flee the area over fears of an armed robbery attack.

The sporadic gunfire created confusion as rumours spread across Akure that armed robbers had invaded the city. Many business owners hurriedly shut their shops, while commuters abandoned the area in search of safety.

A trader at Okelisa Market said residents initially believed the city was under attack due to the sudden outbreak of gunshots.

“I was inside my shop when people suddenly started running and shouting that robbers had entered Akure. Everybody quickly locked up and fled because nobody knew exactly what was happening,” the trader said.

Calm was later restored as residents gradually returned to normal activities and commercial transport operators resumed operations in the affected areas.

The Ondo State Police Command dismissed reports suggesting the incident was an armed robbery attack.

Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Abayomi, said preliminary investigations indicated that the gunshots were linked to suspected political thugs involved in the election process.

“The Ondo State Police Command wishes to debunk reports making the rounds regarding an alleged armed robbery incident in Akure. Preliminary findings and credible intelligence available to the Command indicate that the incident was not a robbery attack as speculated, but rather activities involving suspected thugs, which resulted in sporadic gunshots within the area,” he said.

Abayomi added that the situation had been brought under control and normalcy had fully returned to the affected areas.