Two People died In Ibadan As Hoodlums Attack Police Station To Free Suspects

Earlier, a 60-year-old Modupe Daramola in Akobi area was hit by pellets from a locally made gun fired by one of the hoodlums during a clash involving the thugs.

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A 29-year-old, Badmus Rasheed, was killed on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when some hoodlums attacked Mapo Police Station.

Earlier, a 60-year-old Modupe Daramola in Akobi area was hit by pellets from a locally made gun fired by one of the hoodlums during a clash involving the thugs.

She died while some others sustained varying degrees of injury.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed this in a statement in Ibadan on Thursday urged parents to warn their wards and children against public disturbance.

Explaining the incidents, Fadeyi said, "The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command wishes to inform the general public about the incident that occurred earlier today, 28th January, 2021 at about 1145hrs at Odo-Osun Area of Mapo where police personnel from Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters were deployed to effect the arrest of two notorious miscreants who had been deeply involved in the crisis rocking Shogoye/Akobi areas of Mapo lately.

"It can be recalled that armed thugs from Shogoye/Akobi areas have been unleashing mayhem, causing grievous hurts and death of innocent citizens in the two areas. On the 25th of January, 2021 at about 0600hrs, an elderly woman wearing a white Celestial church cap known as Modupe Daramola (female), aged 60, of a Celestial church in Akobi area, was hit by pellets from a locally made gun fired by one of the hoodlums during the clashes and she gave up the ghost, while some others sustained varying degrees of injury.

"Sequel to the arrest of the two notorious miscreants who were handcuffed, one aka Packaging led some thugs numbering about thirty (30) to attack and mob the police team and forcefully took the two miscreants from them. In a bid to escape being lynched, the police personnel shot in the air and managed to escape.

"At about 1220hrs, one Akeem (male) in company with some angry miscreants invaded the police station to report that his younger brother was shot and the miscreants attempted to attack Mapo Police Station, while some cars at the junction leading to the street of the station were damaged. The mob was thereafter repelled by police personnel who were strategically positioned to prevent the station from being attacked. Not too long, at about 1350hrs, the corpse of one Badmus Rasheed (male), aged 20, was brought to the police station amidst the angry mob that was earlier repealed from attacking the station (sic).

"The Commissioner of Police wishes to appeal to parents/guardians in the two areas to warn their wards to desist from acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order as massive deployments of police personnel and of sisters security agencies have been put in place to forestall further crises.

In a related development, many motorists, commuters, traders and traffic wardens around Bere, Oja Oba market, Idi Arere areas took to their heels on Thursday when they heard about the commotion caused by the hoodlums in the city.

Over the last two weeks ago, there have been pockets of violence in the city which have allegedly claimed the lives of a young okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) and another man at Mokola area.

The Commandant of the Western Nigeria Security Network in Oyo State, popularly known as Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), and a Mogaji of Ibadanland, Wale Oladoja, had held a meeting with the hoodlums where it was agreed that there should be a ceasefire between the opposing cult factions.

But according to eyewitnesses, many hoodlums were sighted on Thursday moving from Labiran area towards Bere area, armed with guns, cutlasses, sticks, sharp metals and threatening anyone who dared them.

At Oja Oba in particular, traders were sighted running with their goods to escape from the market to a safer place while encouraging others to also run as they did so.

Speaking on the matter, an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is well known in the areas mentioned, said that he had to turn back when he saw a multitude of hoodlums moving towards Bere with dangerous weapons.

Another resident, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he is a policeman, said he had to abandon his duty post to join a vehicle going towards Challenge area because he was afraid the hooligans might lynch him if they saw him in uniform.