Hoodlums attack Ekiti APC members as LG elections beckon

Not fewer than 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.

Sources alleged that the attack was connected with the forthcoming local government elections billed to hold in December across the local government areas and local council development areas in the state.

One of the victims, Mr Olaitan Olayinka, alleged that the assailants who numbered about 20 led by one Oluwafemi, popularly known as Owolesu, came to attack them with cutlasses, guns and other dangerous weapons in the front of his family house while relaxing Monday evening.

Olayinka, who had plastered his forehead, narrated his ordeals in the hands of the hoodlums on Thursday in Ado Ekiti, alleging that a political leader in the local government area was behind the incident in a bid to silence other aspirants in the forthcoming 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”.

Olayinka said that despite the intervention of some elders in the matter, the hoodlums came to his family house in the evening where they attacked members and everybody in sight leaving four persons injured just as the hoodlums smashed cartons of beer bottles in his shop.

Olayinka, who said that it took the intervention of military personnel to restore peace and order, called on Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, to intervene and save his family members and the party from further attacks capable of leading to a political crisis in the area.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said that the police had arrested and charged to court, the alleged leader of the group involved in the attack.