JUST IN: Police confirm Oyo APC, PDP members clash, begin probe

The Oyo State Police Command on Friday confirmed the clash between supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress on Thursday in Ibadan, which reportedly left three people dead.

The clash took place at the Ile-tuntun area in the Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, who called in on a programme on Fresh FM Ibadan, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department had been mandated to lead an investigating team to the scene of the incident.

Osifeso said, “Yes, the unfortunate incident did occur yesterday, and as we speak investigation has commenced into unraveling the root cause of the incident. Oyo State is the cradle of sophistication and the world depends on Oyo for a lot of things, we should not continue in the trajectory known for hooliganism.

“Elections will come and go but people will be there.”

The police spokesman urged leaders, parents and guardians to prevail on their wards against being used to scuttle the electoral process.

The PUNCH reports that members of the APC were holding a meeting at the party office at Iyana Court, Ile-tuntun in Ibadan when vehicles of the PDP members passing by reportedly provoked the APC loyalists and started throwing objects at them.

An eyewitness said, “The PDP then got angry, and when (they) retaliated, a leading member of the party and a member of the House of Representatives then picked a gun and fired gunshots at the APC members. That was what led to a free for all.

“The provoked attack saw many members of the APC injured with one of the party’s House of Assembly candidates escaped by the whiskers.”