One person was confirmed dead by the state police command, while an unconfirmed report said about eight members of the union lost their lives in the bloody violence that started at the popular Iwo-Road motor park.
The lifeless body of the deceased identified as Dele Ayegbo, alongside 20 suspects arrested by the police in connection with the mayhem were paraded at the Eleyele headquarters of the state police command yesterday.
In a swift reaction to the incident, the state governor, Ajimobi, directed the state Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta, to immediately look into the disruption of public peace which occurred in some parts of the state by members of the transport workers union.
A statement issued from the Governor’s Office, said police must apprehend everyone connected with the mayhem and ensure that they were brought to justice.
Ajimobi had in his inaugural speech promised to address the leadership crisis in the union.
Yesterday’s clash, Daily Sun learnt, started when about six members of the Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a Tokyo’s) faction stormed Iwo-Road around 7.45am in a commercial bus and started shooting sporadically into a filling station in the area .They were said to have been resisted by a faction loyal to Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a Auxilliary)
Members of the union from either camp were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries in the clash which lasted for about three hours, while no fewer that 60 vehicles including commercial buses were vandalized.
Members of Tokyo’s group were said to be wearing the Senator Ajimobi’s inauguration ‘Aso Ebi’, face caps and vests and seen brandishing cutlasses, guns and other dangerous weapons at the time of the incident.
The clash however took a new dimension when a faction of the union led by Auxiliary returned to Iwo junction with support of some people dressed in Army uniform. As a result, there was an exchange of gun between the two groups during which one of the three vehicles brought by the “soldiers” was burnt and they eventually ran away.
As a result of the early morning clash, commercial activities within Iwo road area were paralysed as many of the shop owners and traders hurriedly closed their shops for fear of being attacked. Vehicular movement around the troubled spot was low as commuters were forced to trek long distance to their various destinations.
Bolanta, the state police boss had told journalists that the deceased was shot dead after threatening to kill policemen with blood-stained cutlass, adding that another member of the union was shot on the leg while trying to escape.
But Tokyo group in a swift reaction insisted that the police in concert with Auxilliary faction masterminded the killing of Ayegbo at Iwo-Road, while the counsel to Tokyo, Barrister Micheal Folorunso also demanded the immediate removal of the state police commissioner over an alleged bias and divided loyalty.
The police boss while addressing journalists threatened to arrest and deal with any leaders of the union no matter their positions in the society, adding that the command in its resolve to effect the arrest of all hoodlums in the state would “embark on house- to –house search for the suspected miscreants if possible.”
He said he invited the leaders of the two factions to a peace meeting last week during which they were warned against violence and on the need to allow the in-coming government to take step on the leadership crisis rocking the union.
Bolanta gave the names of those arrested to include, Wasiu Muibi (20), Opeyemi Ogunjinmi (33), Olatunji Lawal (24), Sunday Omilani (20), Wale Ajayi (22) and Olayemi Omoolouwa (22).
Others were Rilwan Muritala (19), Taofeek babalola (35), Adam Rasheed (32), Olatunbosun Mufutau (45), Muniru Oladejo (40), Abass Ganiyu (27), Saheed Adekunle (28), Dauda Kolawole (28) and Bashiru Ibraheem (32).
He also disclosed that Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and patrol teams have been sent to the troubled spot to ensure security of lives and property.
While assuring the people of the state of their safety, he warned against carrying of dangerous weapons in public places by anybody, saying anyone caught would be arrested and treated like armed robber.
Items recovered from hoodlums according to him include 10 cutlasses, axe, charms and other dangerous weapons.
Others are three vehicles, two Nissan cars and one commercial bus with registration numbers XY260 NRK (Oyo), XG 494 BDJ (Oyo) and XB 861 DDA (Oyo) impounded from the hoodlums.
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