…pregnant woman, nine others wounded
There was pandemonium at the Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Office in Akure, Ondo State on Monday, when armed policemen attached to the convoy
of court-ordered Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, attacked the premises in a hail of gunshots.
Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) is currently at the appellate court, trying to reclaim his ticket given to Ibrahim by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, citing a Federal High Court ruling.
According to eyewitnesses, a long convoy of vehicles belonging to Ibrahim suddenly stopped short at the Ijapo campaign office of Jegede and gun-totting, anti-terrorism riot policemen wearing red beret, alighted from a hilux van.
“They barged at the gate of the Jegede campaign office and dared anyone to come out, following which they started shooting sporadically, a situation that made residents of the area to flee in different directions.
“In the process, no fewer than 10 persons sustained varying degrees of injury, including a pregnant woman who fainted.
At the end of the five-minute madness, almost 50 cartridges were picked up as evidence while a vehicle in the Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation was smashed,” an eyewitness recounted.
The source added that Jimoh Ibrahim himself was inside a black-coloured Infinity Jeep and peeped through the window occasionally.
It was learnt that there was no reprisal on the part of the Jegede supporters, many who expressed shock over the incident.
Meanwhile, the Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation has described the incident as barbaric and strange to common sense.
A statement by the organisation, said ”When Jegede’s ticket was given to Ibrahim by INEC which said it relied on an Abuja Federal High Court verdict, we did not create any scene but went to a higher court to prove our case.
“It, is therefore, sickening, to say the least, that such a ridiculous incident could take place with the prompting of someone who claimed to be not just a University graduate, but a lawyer,” the organisation lamented.
It, however, insisted that the Ibrahim camp must replace the vehicle damaged or face the full wrath of the law.