At least two people lost their lives while five others sustained injuries on Wednesday after violent clashes broke out during the All Progressives Congress ward congress in Idanre, Ondo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the chaos unfolded at Odode-Idanre, the headquarters of Idanre Local Government Area, as the ruling party carried out congress activities across its 203 wards in the state.
Witnesses said the violence followed mounting political tension within the party, believed to be linked to a disrupted stakeholders’ meeting held a day earlier in Akure, where suspected hoodlums stormed the APC secretariat and attacked several party leaders. The confrontation in Idanre was described as a continuation of the earlier unrest, with rival groups allegedly mobilising armed supporters.
Among those attacked was Raphael Adetimehin, the younger brother of the APC caretaker chairman in Ondo. Eyewitness accounts said the attackers allegedly mistook him for his brother due to their striking resemblance, leading to a brutal assault. His vehicle was reportedly set ablaze, and he suffered severe machete wounds before being rushed to the General Hospital in Idanre, where he was said to be in critical condition and in a coma at the time of reporting.
Ade Adetimehin, the APC caretaker chairman, alleged that the attack was politically motivated, claiming it was carried out by hoodlums linked to Tajudeen Adefisoye, a former member of the House of Representatives, whom he described as an ally of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Governor of Ondo State.
“They targeted my brother because they thought he was me. They shot him several times but bullets could not penetrate, so he was cut several times with a cutlass,” Adetimehin said.
However, a family source disclosed that Raphael may not have survived the attack, adding that two other men were also fatally shot, including one who was driving a Venza vehicle. The identities of the other victims were still being verified as of the time of this report.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that five persons were attacked and a vehicle was burnt during the unrest. According to the police spokesperson, three victims sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical care, while two were confirmed dead at the hospital.
Following the violence, the State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, alongside Oluyemi Ibiloye, the NSCDC commandant, led a joint security operation to the area to restore calm. Security operatives were deployed across flashpoints in the state to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
The police said investigations are ongoing to track down and arrest those responsible, warning that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
