Zainab Abioye
At least five people, including three commercial bus drivers and two passersby, are feared dead following a violent clash between suspected rival political thugs at Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State.
The incident occurred on Monday amid an alleged struggle for control of the motor park, barely days after the conclusion of the Osun State governorship election.
Sources said the clash created panic in Ikire as suspected political thugs engaged one another, forcing motorists, traders and residents to flee the area.
A witness who spoke about the incident said the confrontation was linked to a wider struggle for control of major motor parks across the state following the governorship election.
The source, however, cautioned against immediately blaming either the All Progressives Congress or the Accord Party for the killings, saying rival political groups were allegedly involved in the dispute.
According to him, tensions over the control of motor parks reportedly escalated after the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the election result.
He alleged that some political groups that had previously exercised influence over motor parks attempted to reclaim control following the election.
The source said the development triggered fresh confrontations in some major towns, including Ikire, Iwo and Osogbo.
“The issue started immediately after INEC declared the results of the Osun State governorship election. There had been struggles over control of the motor parks before the election,” he said.
He added that the situation became more tense after supporters of rival political interests allegedly attempted to assert control over the parks.
The witness described the Ikire incident as particularly violent, saying he narrowly escaped from the scene.
He said, “The one here in Ikire was brutal. I was around the scene when the attack started, and God saved me.”
The source further alleged that the violence was not limited to Ikire, claiming that similar confrontations were reported around motor parks in other parts of the state.
He, however, stressed that it would be premature to conclusively identify which political camp was responsible for the deaths.
“We cannot really say whether it was APC or Accord thugs that caused the killings, but what was certain was that they were political thugs,” he said.
Meanwhile, unverified reports also alleged that the Divisional Police Officer in Ikire, identified as Olatona Bamidele, visited the garage during the confrontation to clear the road and facilitate access for suspected political thugs.
The allegation could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
A video from the scene, seen by PLATFORM TIMES, showed at least two bodies lying on the ground at the scene of the violence.
One of the victims appeared to have sustained a gunshot injury, while another body was seen lying motionless nearby.
The identities of the victims could not immediately be established.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the activities of political thugs and the control of motor parks in Osun, particularly in the aftermath of the governorship election.
Residents and transport workers in the affected communities are expected to come under heightened security scrutiny as authorities move to prevent further escalation.
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