There was pandemonium in Osogbo,the Osun State Capital as sudden sporadic gunshots fired by security men attached to the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola drove residents of the city into panic.
The shooting which happened about seven o’clock on Monday evening in the old garage area of the town, made residents,shopowners and passerby to scamper for safety.
It was difficult to ascertain what could be responsible for the shooting by the convoy of the Minister,who was a two term and immediate past Governor of the state.
However, the Osun State Government accused the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for allegedly invading the state capital with armed thugs, shooting sporadically into the air to scare innocent people away from their businesses.
In a statement, the state Commissioner for Information, Mrs Funke Egbemode said “credible reports confirmed that some misguided cowards invaded Osogbo, the Osun State capital with armed thugs to foment trouble”.
“Their interest is simply to attempt to thwart the peace of the state and create fear in the minds of the good people of Osun counting on a long-lost influence.”
The statement adds that “Government of Osun hereby warns that there are no sacred cows in the state. No one is above the law here regardless of their past glories or future aspirations. Security agencies have been well briefed about the activities of these mischief makers, who have set themselves on a collision course with the law”.
But an aide to the Minister, Mr Bola Ilori said the security operatives attached to the Minister shot to repel an attempt attack on the former Governor.
Mr Bola Ilori who served as Special Adviser on Environment under the Aregbesola’s administration wrote on his Facebook page, “Only a lazy man starts a wrestling match with cutlass and guns – Aregbe!!!”Oyetola thugs fired several gunshots at Aregbesola’s, Adeoti (Sheu) convoy after declaring his preferred choice for Governorship.
The attackers were repelled by combined efforts of Police, DSS, NSCDC and luckily no casually was recorded”.
Also, a resident, who claimed to be around the Old garage at the time of the shooting, Mr Lamina Kamorudeen told newsmen that Shooting sporadically by the security men who were in company of the former Governor Aregbesola of the State of Osun in Osogbo today was but a misplacement of priority.
He said No matter what, Mr Aregbesola should remember Osun was a state he had once governed for a two term tenure.
Adenitan Akinola
