There was confusion in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital at
the weekend, as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers
(NURTW) engaged some policemen in a violent clash allegedly over
transport fare.
The confusion started at Ajilosun area and spread to Ijigbo, one of the most densely populated areas of the Ado Ekiti metropolis.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that trouble started when a policeman allegedly declined to pay transport fare for a trip to Akure from Ado Ekiti, an act which led to hot arguments that led to fisticuffs between them.
Eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that passersby and commuters, as well as traders in the rented locked-up shops around the area and those who displayed their wares at the popular Fayose Market, hurriedly closed their shops and scamper for safety, as sporadic gunshots being fired by the cops rented the air and caused serious panic.
The source revealed that as the police were firing the shot, the commercial drivers were also replying with dangerous missiles like stones, broken bottles and iron rods, just as they brandished cutlasses and axes to confront the police.
Several people, old and young, sustained serious bodily injuries in the ensuing melee. Motorists going towards Ijigbo from the popular Old garage side had to make a detour at Irona and escaped through the GRA side to prevent being caught in the web, while those coming from Ajilosun towards Ijigbo also passed through Moferere to Agric side at Odo Ado, owing to the panic the sound of the gunshots have caused.
The issued caused brief traffic snarl along Ado-Akure road, as these visibly enraged drivers, who later converged on their office in Ajilosun, had made bonfires, describing the police action as flagrant abuse of firearms.
It was gathered that the violence erupted, following the decline of a policeman, who boarded a bus from Akure to Ado Ekiti to pay the N300 transport fare, but the driver of the 18-passenger bus had stood his ground that he must pay, thus culminating in serious argument and exchange of fisticuffs between the duo.
The policeman, who was said to be armed, had fired a shot at the bus and shattered the rare glass, which had attracted some other drivers from nearby, who joined their colleague to beat up the policeman.
After they were separated, the policeman was said to have reported the case to his colleagues, who were said to have mobilised to the drivers’ motorpark located in Ajilosun and started shooting sporadically.
The drivers and commuters in the park were said to have fled into the bush in different directions, as the police stormed the park in a commando-like style and dealt with some drivers that were not fortunate to escape.
The drivers were said to have boasted that they would continue to attack any police found on the streets of Ado Ekiti, just as they threatened that they would only give the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the audience to mediate in the matter.
But later in the evening, the Special Assistant on Internal Security to the Governor, Mr Deji Adesokan, was said to have visited the park and pleaded with the drivers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
Efforts made to reach out to the NURTW chairman in Ekiti State, Chief Julius Jegede, to confirm the incident proved futile, as all mobile phones were switched off.
But the Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the incident, said police was still investigating the root cause of the matter.
Babayemi added that “ the command is aware of the incident, but the cause of the matter is still sketchy. We are going to give you the full detail as soon as we conclude our investigation.”
TRIBUNE
The confusion started at Ajilosun area and spread to Ijigbo, one of the most densely populated areas of the Ado Ekiti metropolis.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that trouble started when a policeman allegedly declined to pay transport fare for a trip to Akure from Ado Ekiti, an act which led to hot arguments that led to fisticuffs between them.
Eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that passersby and commuters, as well as traders in the rented locked-up shops around the area and those who displayed their wares at the popular Fayose Market, hurriedly closed their shops and scamper for safety, as sporadic gunshots being fired by the cops rented the air and caused serious panic.
The source revealed that as the police were firing the shot, the commercial drivers were also replying with dangerous missiles like stones, broken bottles and iron rods, just as they brandished cutlasses and axes to confront the police.
Several people, old and young, sustained serious bodily injuries in the ensuing melee. Motorists going towards Ijigbo from the popular Old garage side had to make a detour at Irona and escaped through the GRA side to prevent being caught in the web, while those coming from Ajilosun towards Ijigbo also passed through Moferere to Agric side at Odo Ado, owing to the panic the sound of the gunshots have caused.
The issued caused brief traffic snarl along Ado-Akure road, as these visibly enraged drivers, who later converged on their office in Ajilosun, had made bonfires, describing the police action as flagrant abuse of firearms.
It was gathered that the violence erupted, following the decline of a policeman, who boarded a bus from Akure to Ado Ekiti to pay the N300 transport fare, but the driver of the 18-passenger bus had stood his ground that he must pay, thus culminating in serious argument and exchange of fisticuffs between the duo.
The policeman, who was said to be armed, had fired a shot at the bus and shattered the rare glass, which had attracted some other drivers from nearby, who joined their colleague to beat up the policeman.
After they were separated, the policeman was said to have reported the case to his colleagues, who were said to have mobilised to the drivers’ motorpark located in Ajilosun and started shooting sporadically.
The drivers and commuters in the park were said to have fled into the bush in different directions, as the police stormed the park in a commando-like style and dealt with some drivers that were not fortunate to escape.
The drivers were said to have boasted that they would continue to attack any police found on the streets of Ado Ekiti, just as they threatened that they would only give the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the audience to mediate in the matter.
But later in the evening, the Special Assistant on Internal Security to the Governor, Mr Deji Adesokan, was said to have visited the park and pleaded with the drivers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
Efforts made to reach out to the NURTW chairman in Ekiti State, Chief Julius Jegede, to confirm the incident proved futile, as all mobile phones were switched off.
But the Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the incident, said police was still investigating the root cause of the matter.
Babayemi added that “ the command is aware of the incident, but the cause of the matter is still sketchy. We are going to give you the full detail as soon as we conclude our investigation.”
TRIBUNE
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