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Destroys Oba's palace
OSOGBO, the usually serene Osun State capital, yesterday exploded in an orgy of violence as commercial motorcyclists (Okada) went on rampage following the knock-down of one of them by the convoy of the Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada.
Subsequently, the Deputy Governor narrowly escaped lynching by the mob even as unconfirmed reports said the mob, later infiltrated by suspected hoodlums, destroyed a part of the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Iyiola Matanmi.
Besides, windscreens of police vehicles were smashed just as an orderly to a senior police officer was injured allegedly by the rampaging mob.
The stage for the riot was set as Erelu Obada made her way to the State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) to commission new equipment for the corporation's Frequency Modulation (FM) station, one account said.
In the process, the convoy reportedly knocked down the Okada operator.
The situation which attracted the ire of roused colleagues of the operator, appeared to have worsened with police shooting to scare off the mob which made to descend on the convoy.
Tension subsequently mounted at the scene of the incident along Oke-Bale area of the town as the other Okada operators swooped on the convoy.
The victim and two other middle aged men, identified as Messrs. Segun Okeniyi and Taiye Adeniji who received gun shot wounds in the ensuing melee are now on danger list at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) Osogbo, while the Okada man had been transferred to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) Ile-Ife as at press time.
Moments after the incident which happened at about 7.30 a.m., the mob set ablaze two vehicles on the Deputy Governor's convoy while she narrowly escaped being lynched.
The state of health of the Okada man who is receiving treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the OAUTHC could not be ascertained as at the time Daily Champion visited the hospital.
The police action was said to have incensed residents of the area some of who confronted the policemen, a situation which led to an exchange of gunshots.
Reacting to the incident, Personal Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Femi Adefila, confirmed that one of the vehicles on the Deputy Governor's convoy was involved in the said accident.
According to him, the Deputy Governor was on her way to the broadcasting village when the Okada man "ran into a stationary taxi and subsequently hit the security car on the Deputy Governor's convoy coming from the opposite direction."
The Personal Assistant, in a statement said some hoodlums suspected to be thugs of a rival political party, set two government vehicles ablaze while trying to take the victim to the hospital.
"A top notcher of a rival political party was actually sighted close to the scene instigating the livid crowd against the convoy," he said.
Mr. Adefila, however, said the victim was recuperating at the OAUTHC, Ile-Ife adding that Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola had visited the scene and met the victim.
Adefila also hinted that the governor has promised to pay the medical bills of the victims.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, Mr. Joshua Olayemi, said 14 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.
He said the incident was hijacked by some politicians who were bent on causing crisis in the state.
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