Two individuals have been reportedly killed in a Tuesday-afternoon fracas in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, shortly after the re-election campaign of Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, in the community, Peoples Consciencereportedly gathered.
Gov. Makinde had taken his re-election campaign train to the Igangan community on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, to seek the support of the people of the town ahead of the March 11 governorship election.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, Governor Makinde had left the community for about 30 minutes when a fracas erupted at a roadblock at the exit of the community as a result of a barricade that was put on the road by the indigenes of the community with the aim of collecting money from road users.
The barricade of the road, according to reports gathered by Peoples Conscience, resulted in gunshots by alleged members of the Oyo State Park Management System, popularly known as Axillary Boys.
According to a source who confided in Peoples Conscience on the condition of anonymity, the incident had left two individuals dead, including a member of the local vigilante attached to the Ibarapa North Local Government, identified as Ojebisi Mathew.
The source also alleged that among the slain individuals was a member of the Oyo State Park Management System, whose identity could not be ascertained as of press time.
“Governor had left for like 30 minutes, but the indigenes blocked the road with the aim of collecting money from those passing before the crisis erupted. One local vigilante attached to Ibarapa North was killed, as was one of the Axillary boys,” he said.
The source said that another member of the local vigilante, identified as Ojewola Aremu, was also shot during the fracas and is currently being treated by Olori Ode (the leader of hunters) in the community to remove all the bullets in his body.
“The atmosphere is tense; five motorcycles were burnt, and some people said the Auxiliary Squad lost some of its members, but I can’t get the exact number,” he said.
Peoples Conscience also got in touch with the family of the slain local vigilante member through indigenes of the community, where the deceased family showed the corpse of slain Ojelabi Mathew, who lost his life in the crisis.
“They packed our motorcycles and got them all burnt; they shot at me, but their bullets couldn’t penetrate; I just came back from where I went for hunting when I started hearing about how they were shooting indiscriminately; they macheted me, beat me up, but for this they have done to my motorcycle, Makinde must buy a new motorcycle for me. Peter Ojedokun must buy a new motorcycle for me, lest this Igangan not contain us all. I am not a politician; I don’t do politics; I just came from farm when I heard the sound of gunshots, but for what they have done, I will give it all it takes except that I get another motorcycle,” another man who lost his motorcycle in the clash lamented.
