4 killed, scores injured in Offa, Agbamu clashes
- Yetunde Toluyemi and Mojirade Durodola
- Aug 3, 2015
- 2 min read
*Police arrest 10
No fewer than four persons were killed yesterday in separate clashes in Offa, Offa Local Government and Agbamu in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
In Agbamu, three persons were feared dead on Sunday at Agbamu following a clash among members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).
An eyewitness account said no fewer than six other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries during the fracas.
It was learnt that trouble started when some OPC members, who were allegedly expelled recently from the group, stormed St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Agbamu, where the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Arigbamu of Agbamu, Oba Samuel Dare, was holding to protest their expulsion before OPC National Coordinator, Chief Gani Adams.
The protest was said not to have gone down well with some members of the state chapter of OPC, which later snowballed into a violent clash among the OPC members.
Sources told our reporter that injured victims were rushed to some undisclosed private hospitals in the area for medical attention.
A police source at Agbamu Police Post, who reportedly spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed three dead in the clash.
He said, “We never envisaged this kind of security breach; hence, we would have called for reinforcement from other neighbouring police stations. By virtues of their large numbers, they held everybody to ransom.
“I can confirm to you that three people were shot dead, while several others were seriously injured. The injured ones have been taken to nearby private hospitals.”
The Kwara Police Command Spokesman, ASP Ajayi Okasanmi, said he had not been briefed about the calsh.
Similarly in Offa, a clash between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Offa, claimed one life with scores left injured.
The clash was allegedly caused by a disagreement between the two unions on which Union will convey the Students of Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa who were going on an internship to Ondo, Ekiti and other neighboring states.
Cutlasses and machetes were deployed by warring members to attack one another leaving many vehicles vandalized.
It was gathered that in the process, secretariats of one of the unions was set ablaze by the unknown union members.
In a chat with National Pilot, Okasanmi confirmed that one of the victims of the fracas who was attacked on a bike died on Sunday as a result of the deep cut received.
Okasanmi added that the police had arrested 10 persons in connection with the fracas adding investigation is still on going to bring into book other perpetrators of the crime.
Speaking, the Majority Leader of State House of Assembly, Hon Hassan Oyeleke described the incident as unfortunate, saying Offa community is “reputed for its spirit of fraternity and brotherhood.”
“We are just recovering from the 2013 communal clashes which were triggered by the same Unions. We are tasking every member of the community in order to rebuild the over 200 shops in Owode Market. What is in a union?,” Oyeleke, who was Offa Council Chairman, asked.
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