APC member allegedly killed by suspected political thugs in Osun
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Ebenezer Alaro, was allegedly killed by suspected political thugs in Ilesa, on Friday.
The deceased, a member of the APC at Ward 9, Irojo, Ilesa East Local Government Council Area, it was gathered, was shot dead in front of his father’s house at Aromire Street in Ilesa.
Alaro, according to a source, was traced home and shot after he participated in the early morning rally organised by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, to shore up support for the candidates of APC in the forthcoming February 25th election.
Meanwhile, the APC in the state has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being responsible for the killing.
The party said political thugs, operating on the directive of Sanya Omirin, a PDP House of Representatives candidate for Ijesa-South Federal Constituency were responsible for the killing.
Acting chairman of APC in the state, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal in a statement on Saturday said: “It was learned that Alaro, who was the driver of the Cabsta vehicle used by the APC candidates for the party’s resumed ward-by-ward rally in the constituency yesterday, was chased to the front of his father’s house where he was shot around 1:00 p.m. by hoodlums led by ‘Bongo,’ a notorious thug in the community.
“It was gathered that Omirin was earlier sighted at Irojo Junction of the ancient town in the midst of masked men in police uniform who went on rampage alongside the PDP thugs, an incident which subsequently led to the killing of the APC member.”
Speaking on the incident, Owoeye called on the Police to investigate the gruesome murder of Alaro with a view to ensuring that those involved are brought to justice.
The Speaker, through his media aide, Kunle Alabi stated that such heinous crime if not quickly investigated and perpetrators docked, could aggravate an already tensed situation that could lead to breakdown of law and order in the state before and during the elections.
He said: “It is quite unfortunate that one of our devoted party members was murdered after our rally on Friday. Politics shouldn’t be a do-or-die affairs. The young man who was actively involved in the rally was shot in front of his father’s house.
“The Police and other relevant security agencies must be seen to be alive to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives of citizens. A quick investigation into the murder will serve as deterrent to people who are hell bent on distrusting the peace of our society.
“The times we are in calls for serious actions by security agencies so that the already tensed environment doesn’t lead to a situation where citizens will resort to self-help and jungle justice.
“It is my believe that the state Commissioner of Police will leave up to his responsibility of not allowing the state to slide into anarchy by urgently seeing to it that culprits in the said murder are brought to book.
“I want to appeal to our people to allow for peace with the hope that Police will in no distant time resolved the case of Ebenezer Alaro’s killing.”
However, the PDP in a statement signed by its acting Chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle, said it was the APC thugs who on Friday descended on the homes of the father of PDP candidate for the Ilesa East/Ilesa West/Atakunmosa-East/Atakunmosa-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Olusanya Omirin, causing major scare for the octogenarian who had to run for safety as live bullets rain down on his building.
He said: “Similar despicable attack was visited on the home of the father of the immediate PDP chairman of the state, Sunday Bisi, which threw residents, especially the PDP chief’s old man in palpable fear.
“The rejected APC having realized the resolve of the people to vote against it has taken to violence and attacked our party members and innocent citizens with the aim of scaring them away from the election.
“This is pure evil and it is our passionate call on every lover of democracy to come to the aid of our party members in Ijeshaland, and by extension, the whole of Osun state, in the face of APC resort to violence.”
