Suspected armed political thugs have wrecked havoc in Ibadan South-West council area today!
According to Punch, not less than 200 shops were burnt, with about 10 houses, a commercial tricycle, two articulated vehicles and several cars were destroyed during a mayhem earlier today. The thugs who were suspected to be political thugs unleashed mayhem, killing at least three people.
It was also made known that there was an unsuccessful attempt to burn a petrol station at Popoyemoja junction. Born Photo, Isale Osi, Idi Arere and Popoyemoja were the areas that had the tragic knot of this unfortunate incident
Punch reports that the thugs arrived at the area around 9am and began to shoot sporadically, burning houses, looting shops and destroying vehicles, making residents to flee the area in fear. This went on for almost 2hours until the Police arrived the scene.
However,majority of the residents while speaking with newsmen , associated the sad event to the attack that happened on Friday where a policeman was gunned down and another injured. The scene of Friday’s attack was about four kilometres to Born Photo, where Sunday’s attack began.
“I am not a politician. My father built this house many decades and I inherited it. The fight in Oke-Ado three days ago spiralled into today’s attack on our community. I am a part seller in Gate and I have no friends among the politicians. I was locked in the building while the thugs put fire into the house. I struggled to put it off but it was beyond me so I escaped into safety,” Mr. Okunola Asimiyu, whose house on SW9/263 was burnt by the thugs said shockingly.
Another shop owner, Folake Oladipo, who combines wholesale and retail sale of drinks in one of the shops, said shops lost over N1m. She said:
“I received a call this morning that my shop was burning. I rushed here but I saw people with guns shooting and burning houses. The trouble started since Friday but today’s violence was targeted at people, house and shops. They burned my refrigerators, generators and looted everything in the shop. I am devastated.”
The hoodlums also attempted to destroyed a viewing center alongside match viewers and the owner, Adepoju Owolabi but luck was on them as they were able to escape before they razed down the viewing center with fire. However, Raheem Olakunle, a phone repairer beside the viewing centre complained bitterly how the thugs carted away many phones and laptop computers.
