By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
It was confusion in Ibadan,the Oyo state capital Tuesday when men of the Oyo state Police command and some professional hunters, popularly called ‘Agbekoya militants’ engaged in gun duel leaving one person dead with two other suspects arrested.
New Nigerian gathered that the confusion started
at Ogbere Onilanta Police Station along Akanran in the One Ara local government when the policemen said to be on patrol allegedly checked the ‘Agbekoya militants’ over reckless driving.
The Agbekoya militants were said to be coming from Lagos on their way to Akanran community for their monthly meeting when the policemen who were at the check point in front of their station stopped them and challenged them for driving recklessly during which one of the Agbekoya men allegedy got down and started arguing with the police.
The argument it was learnt resulted in hot exchange of abusive words and later degenerated into sporadic gunshot by the policemen and the Agbekoya members.
Eye witness account said with the gunshot renting the air, residents and passersby in the area flee for safety, schools and shops hurriedly closed down while motorists were barred from passing through the area already barricaded by the Police.
It was gathered that during the shoot out, a member of the Agbekoya was hit by police bullet while others escaped leaving a black vehicle behind.
More policemen and men of the Operation Burst were later drafted to the area to keep the peace with an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed in front of the police station with other police vehicles.
Also, as at the time of sending this report, armed policemen and soldiers were drafted to different locations within the community to forestall reprisal from the Agbekoya.
Speaking on the bloody clash, the Oyo state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu said “some suspected armed robbers later identified as Agbekoya militants in three vehicles attacked policemen on stop- and- search duty at Ogbere and attempted to snatch a rifle from the police”.
“The armed bandits were repelled. The hoodlums fled, only to regroup and launched a deadly attack on the Ogbere Police station, advancing to the armoury, shooting their way in. The police again repelled their attack and in the process one of the hoodlums was fatally injured,” he said.
SP Ajisebutu added that in the clash,”two suspects were arrested” saying, “the injured suspect later died on the way to the hospital. Items recovered from the hoodlums include: one cut- to- size locally-made gun, assorted criminal charms and a 4Runner Jeep”.
He declared that “the arrested suspects have made confessions and are helping police in their investigation”.
