Three killed as thugs burn houses, vandalise vehicles

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Again, violence broke out in parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday as some political thugs, who went on the rampage, vandalised property and burnt houses.

The melee was said to be an offshoot of Friday’s fracas at Oke Ado in Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s local government where a policeman was shot dead and two others injured. Some residents said that three persons were killed yesterday, adding that their bodies had been taken away before journalists got to the area.
Some loyalists of a House of Representatives member, Saheed Fijabi and those of his challenger, Rotimi Ajanaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were said to be testing their strength and popularity while awaiting the governor in the area. Several other people were injured in the fracas.
However, the state Director, Media and Publicity of the APC, Wale Sadare, alleged that the opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party, were behind the shooting.
While vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles were burnt at Born Photo, Iyana Asuni, Ile Eja and parts of Gege area, with shops vandalised, the house of Pa Yunusa Ladoja, the late father of former Oyo State Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, was also not spared.
At press time, a house located at the main junction of Iyana Asuni was still burning while men of the State Fire Service were battling to put out the fire. Tension was high in the areas with security operatives, including regular policemen, taking positions, apparently to forestall further breakdown of law and order. In his account of the incident, an octogenarian photographer, popularly called ‘Born Photo,’ whose shop was also vandalised, said the thugs were armed with weapons, including guns.
He said: “Someone just called me this morning to tell me that thugs had invaded my shop. By the time I got here, I met the doors and glass planes, as well as some finished photos damaged. The thugs were reportedly armed to the teeth.”
The window planes and doors of Pa Ladoja’s house located at ‘Born Photo’ junction and other items were damaged. A fuel station located at Iyana Asuni junction was also vandalised, although security operatives were already stationed there at press time.
Alhaji Lanre Latinwo, media aide to Senator Rashidi Ladoja, described the incident as unfortunate. It could not be confirmed whether any arrest had been made in connection with the incident as the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Olabisi Ilobanafor, refused to speak on the issue.http://newtelegraphonline.com/three-killed-as-thugs-burn-houses-vandalise-vehicles/