How Clash Between SARS And Hoodlums Led To Violence In Ogun State

Ogun State appears to have returned to a full blast violence reminiscent of the past on Easter Sunday as hoodlums suspected to be in the service of politicians opposed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its members in Ifo Local Government Area, attacked the Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Kunle Oluomo, burned his constituency office in Ifo town and also set ablaze, five vehicles on ground.

The Constituency office of the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal House of Representatives member, Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, was also not spared as the violence – driven hoodlums stormed and burnt it down.

The hoodlums seizing the opportunity of the grand finale of the town’s annual Akoogun festival vent their spleen on Oluomo properties and others on the supposition that the party and its chieftains invited the Police to the Akoogun festival being celebrated in the town.

It was learnt that Operatives of the Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS) had trailed one of the boys suspected to have taken part in the violent opposition to the APC in Ifo during the last general elections in the state, to the venue of the Akoogun festival for gun possession, and got him arrested with the gun.

But his colleagues allegedly encircled the police, stoutly prevented his being taken away, and succeeded in retrieving the said gun from the policemen.

The Nation learnt further that the hoodlums also attempted to snatch an AK47 from one of the policemen and in a fierce struggle for the riffle between the police and the daring hoodlums, gunshot rang out and one of the boys was cut down while the policemen also fled the scene.

The Nation gather further that the killing touched – off the anger of the hoodlums who quickly regrouped  and stormed the constituency office of Kunle Oluomo, razed vehicles on ground and constituency building.

Oluomo’s properties destroyed during the attack include office, five vehicles (three Mercedes 42 seater buses, one Isuzu Luxurious bus and a 36 – seater coaster bus) being used for free school shuttle pupils and students in Ifo 1 State Constituency.

The Nation called the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, for his reaction but did not answer the calls.

However,  Oluomo who was palpably worried by the state’s steady slide into violence, particularly in Ifo in the last six months, has called on the security agencies to pay closer attention to the area lest the situation slips out of hand.