Police confirm attack on supporters of Accord Party candidate in Oyo

The police in Oyo State have confirmed an attack on supporters of Oriyomi Hamzat, the Accord Party governorship candidate. The incident happened in Molete, located in the Ibadan South-West Local Government Area.

Olayinka Ayanlade, the state Police Public Relations Officer, spoke about the incident on the phone with PUNCH Online on Wednesday. He said, “I am aware of the attacks. The loyalists of Hamzat were ambushed during a peaceful procession at Molete end of the ancient city.”

Reports say that Hamzat, who is also a radio presenter and the CEO of Agidigbo 88.7 FM in Ibadan, and his supporters were attacked with stones by some hoodlums in Molete, Ibadan.

Witnesses said the quick action of security personnel and Hamzat’s efforts to calm his supporters helped avoid a retaliation against the attackers. They noted that the peaceful procession was meant to welcome Hamzat back to Nigeria from the UK late on Tuesday night.

One eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, told PUNCH in Ibadan on Wednesday, “The aggrieved supporters insisted that no amount of intimidation from any person or group of persons would stop them from supporting their preferred candidate.”

Another witness, who called himself Kola, said, “This is democracy. You have the right to support any candidate of your choice. We ought to have outgrown this kind of politics of bitterness and thuggery in Oyo.”

Kehinde Olaiya mentioned, “Some of our members were injured during this unprovoked attack. Also, some of the vehicles in our convoy were vandalised.”

He continued, “Hamzat is a man of peace. We have left the place. The peaceful procession at the Ibadan Toll Gate end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would be terminated at the headquarters of Agidigbo FM along the Ojoo-Iwo Road Expressway.”