A former council chairman and appointee of the Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Otunba Akeem Adigun, popularly known as Socopao, has revealed that he narrowly escaped being assassinated when thugs attacked his convoy as a result of the Obaship tussle in Agosasa town in Ipokia Local Government Area of the southwest state.
According to Socopao, he was on his way to meet Ganiyu Hamzat, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abeokuta on Monday when some rampaging youths attacked him.
The thugs waylaid his convoy, brandishing cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
According to him, he would have been killed if not for the intervention of his security personnel.
“On Monday, I got a call from the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Honourable Ganiu Hamzat, to come to Abeokuta for a meeting regarding the ongoing Obaship tussle in Agosasa. So, I got ready and we hit the road,” Socopao explained.
“On getting to Afa River — the road between Agosasa and Ibatefin, some thugs jumped into the middle of the road, while some mounted motorcycles (Okada). One of them had a dagger while others brandished dangerous weapons like cutlasses, axes and charms.
“They had done the same thing the previous day (Sunday) on my way from a meeting with the members of Ajirobiadodo family (the rightful ruling house to the Obaship stool). We were attacked and I never retaliated.
“So, our convoy was abruptly halted and one of them jumped down from the bike and attempted to open the door by my side; then, my escort got down and the guy held him by the jugular and brought out a dagger, the policeman hit him with the gun butt and he staggered and then held the gun and attempted to snatch the gun. So, he was overpowered and he took to his heels, then, the policeman shot into the air apparently to scare the other three, and it was then that the policeman fired the one that took to his heels. He fell down and the dagger fell off his hand, if not for my orderly, I would have been a dead man now”.
This online news medium learned that the violence on Sunday and Monday led to the death of at least three persons.
Houses and vehicles belonging to Adigun, one Isiaka Aderounmu, and others were set on fire by some angry youths.
Hamzat, the Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, could not be reached for comments as of the time of publishing this report.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident. He also confirmed a casualty.
Furthermore, the police spokesman disclosed that some arrests had been made.
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