THE crisis in Ile-Oluji area of Ondo State escalated on
Tuesday, as six people, including two policemen, were feared dead as the
protest embarked upon by youths of the town turned bloody.
Also, four people said to have been hit by bullets sustained various degrees of injuries and were said to be receiving treatment in hospitals.
The development, however, paralysed commercial and social activities in the town, as schools, banks and other institutions hurriedly closed for fear of being attacked.
Four students were said to have been shot by the policemen drafted to the venue of the protest, the palace of the Jegun of Ile-Oluji, Oba Suulade Adedugbe, while one of the policemen was said to have been mistakenly shot by his colleague.
It was gathered that the youth, who were mainly students of higher institutions, again, converged on the palace to continue the protest they started on Monday, with the aim of forcing the traditional ruler out of the town.
The increase in the number of the protesters led to the drafting of men of the Ondo State command of the Nigeria Police to the scene, to prevent the matter from getting out of hand.
The state Commissioner of Police, Patrick Dokumor, had to temporarily relocate to the town as the situation escalated.
But an eyewitness alleged that the police, on getting to the scene, started shooting to scare the protesters and also to disperse them from the palace.
The protesters were, however, said to have followed the patrol vehicle of the police back to their station, following which the police was said to have opened fire at them, as they thought the youth wanted to attack them.
Four students were said to have been hit by the bullets, while one police officer was also said to have been killed by a mob at a drinking joint and the second one mistakenly killed by his colleague.
Two of the protesters said to have been killed were students of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo, one was selling building materials, while the identity of the fourth person was yet unknown.
The youth were said to have gathered again as early as 7. 00 a.m to continue the protest they started on Monday to press for the location of a federal polytechnic in the town.
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wole Ogodo, said no death was recorded during the incident, adding that the police officer, who was attacked by the mob, had been hospitalised.
Ogodo informed that armed mobile policemen had been drafted to the town to restore normalcy, saying the command was on top of the situation.
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Also, four people said to have been hit by bullets sustained various degrees of injuries and were said to be receiving treatment in hospitals.
The development, however, paralysed commercial and social activities in the town, as schools, banks and other institutions hurriedly closed for fear of being attacked.
Four students were said to have been shot by the policemen drafted to the venue of the protest, the palace of the Jegun of Ile-Oluji, Oba Suulade Adedugbe, while one of the policemen was said to have been mistakenly shot by his colleague.
It was gathered that the youth, who were mainly students of higher institutions, again, converged on the palace to continue the protest they started on Monday, with the aim of forcing the traditional ruler out of the town.
The increase in the number of the protesters led to the drafting of men of the Ondo State command of the Nigeria Police to the scene, to prevent the matter from getting out of hand.
The state Commissioner of Police, Patrick Dokumor, had to temporarily relocate to the town as the situation escalated.
But an eyewitness alleged that the police, on getting to the scene, started shooting to scare the protesters and also to disperse them from the palace.
The protesters were, however, said to have followed the patrol vehicle of the police back to their station, following which the police was said to have opened fire at them, as they thought the youth wanted to attack them.
Four students were said to have been hit by the bullets, while one police officer was also said to have been killed by a mob at a drinking joint and the second one mistakenly killed by his colleague.
Two of the protesters said to have been killed were students of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo, one was selling building materials, while the identity of the fourth person was yet unknown.
The youth were said to have gathered again as early as 7. 00 a.m to continue the protest they started on Monday to press for the location of a federal polytechnic in the town.
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wole Ogodo, said no death was recorded during the incident, adding that the police officer, who was attacked by the mob, had been hospitalised.
Ogodo informed that armed mobile policemen had been drafted to the town to restore normalcy, saying the command was on top of the situation.
TRIBUNE
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