Three dead in Ilorin as PDP/APC thugs clash

Hoodlums suspected to be supporters of a party in Kwara State engaged in a free- for-all yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital.

Three persons were said to have been killed and 15 others were injured.

But the police confirmed that only two persons died in the process.

Among those who were injured were three siblings, who were said to have been hit by stray bullets.

Trouble started last Friday after some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Alore area of Ogidi ward in Ilorin West Local Government allegedly defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was gathered that the hoodlums clashed with one another as they could not agree on a sharing formula for the N20,000 reportedly doled out to them.

Another version linked the crisis to a clash between the hoodlums and some vigilance group men shortly after the programme.

The fracas, it was gathered, started at Abayawo and later spread to Alore-Ode Adana-Omoda, Ode- Alawusa Okelele, all of Ilorin downtown.

It was gathered that in a reprisal attack on Sunday, a man simply identified as Ebba, was allegedly killed at Ode Alwusa.

To avenge his death, hoodlums went on rampage yesterday by setting up bonfires and paralysing commercial and social activities in the affected areas.

The “hoodlums” wore masks, brandishing dangerous weapons went on a rampage that lasted for almost five hours.

Combined team of soldiers and anti-riot policemen were drafted in the areas at 10am to disperse the warring factions.

Before the arrival of the security personnel, some youths in the areas also took up arms against the “hoodlums”.

Several property, including cars, were damaged.

Police spokesperson Ajayi Okasanmi said 12 persons have been arrested.

The APC and PDP have accused each other of causing the crisis. APC spokesperson Sulyman Buhari said that “the APC expresses sadness that the life of a young Kwaran can be brutally cut short by PDP thugs due to mere controversies surrounding the distribution of a largesse given to PDP members by a former senator.

He said: “PDP’s violent activities are of concern to the APC. The APC has consistently alerted the people and the police on the violent disposition, gangterism and the rich record of violence the PDP flaunts. Surprisingly, the PDP has broken its own record of violence in the state. We warn the PDP to desist from oiling its evidently weak political machinery with the blood of Kwarans.”

But the PDP in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Rex Olawoye, accused the APC supporters of attacking PDP members shortly after their alleged defection to APC on Friday last week.

He said: “Our party is saddened by yet another violent attempt on its supporters. There has been a well oiled plan to cow our members by the opposition elements.  “A similar occurrence happened in Omu Aran on Saturday, where daredevil APC thugs invaded what was supposed to be a private meeting of the Ifelodun chapter of the party, and chased all the stakeholders present away.”

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Three dead in Ilorin as PDP/APC thugs clash