Oriyomi Hamzat’s Supporters, Others Trade Blame After Bloody Molete Clash In Ibadan

Several people have reportedly sustained injuries following a clash involving suspected political supporters in the Molete area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Wednesday, with conflicting accounts emerging over who was responsible for the violence.

The confrontation reportedly caused panic among residents and traders in the area, while security operatives were said to have intervened to restore order.

The cause of the clash and the exact number of people injured had yet to be established as of the time of filing this report.

Samuel Ibikunle, popularly known as Arugbo Boiz, a spokesperson for Accord governorship candidate Oriyomi Hamzat, alleged in a Facebook post that supporters of the candidate were attacked in Molete.

“The will of the people cannot be intimidated or suppressed.

“Despite the attack on Oriyomi Hamzat’s supporters in Molete, Ibadan, the people’s resolve remains strong.

“No amount of intimidation will silence the people or stop their peaceful expression of support. The will of the people will prevail,” he wrote.

However, a different account of the incident emerged in a circulating video in which a person identified as a market operator disputed Ibikunle’s claim.

The individual alleged that Accord supporters were responsible for the chaos, insisting that traders in the area witnessed what happened.

“The account given by Arugbo Boiz is not true. What happened in Molete today was caused by supporters of Accord Party. They were the ones who caused the chaos, not any rival party. We are traders here, we saw everything that happened,” the individual said.

The source also claimed that videos of the incident were available, including footage allegedly recorded by traders in the area.

The competing accounts could not be independently verified as of the time of reporting, and the identities of those involved in the clash remained unclear.

The Oyo State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

The incident comes as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the clash raising fresh concerns about tensions among supporters of political parties in the state.