AT least four persons including a businessman, Chief Bode Olayinka, were injured and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed at Efon Alaaye, Efon Local Government area of Ekiti State when a group of hoodlums unleashed violence on some All Progressives Congress chieftains in the area.
According to sources, the attack was motivated by the upcoming local government elections in the state’s local government regions and local council development areas, which are scheduled to take place in December.
One of the victims, Olaitan Olayinka, stated that approximately 20 assailants headed by one Oluwafemi, widely known as Owolesu, came to assault them with cutlasses, firearms, and other hazardous weapons in front of his family residence while he was relaxing Monday evening.
Olayinka, who had a plaster on his forehead, described his ordeals at the hands of hoodlums today in Ado Ekiti, alleging that a political leader in the local government area was behind the crime in order to silence other hopefuls in the next election.
He said, “I am a retired civil servant. I am also interested in contesting as Chairman of Efon Local Government area. But the political leader, with the use of a group of political thugs, attacked us.
“They are saying they don’t want any other aspirant to contest against a said preferred aspirant, but I maintained my ground that I will contest and win.
“On 31st of July, 2023 during a masquerade event in Efon, the thugs had wanted to forcibly remove one of my customized caps from one of my supporters. When he refused to surrender it, the hoodlums descended on him, beat him up, and tore his clothes”.
Despite the involvement of some elders, Olayinka said, the hoodlums came to his family residence in the evening and attacked members and everyone in sight, injuring four people, just as the hoodlums shattered cartons of beer bottles in his shop.
Olayinka, who stated that military soldiers were needed to restore peace and order, urged Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to intervene and protect his family and the party from additional attacks that could lead to a political crisis in the area.
When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer Sunday Abutu stated that the alleged leader of the group involved in the attack had been apprehended and charged in court.
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