By Tope Abiola, Akin Durodola and Yinka Oladoyinbo - 05.02.2007

Fear has gripped the people of the state over likely reprisal attacks on Governor Rashidi Ladoja’s camp, which was alleged to have caused the death of Oladunni Olaniyan, a nephew of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standardbearer of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, during the party’s rally on Saturday.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that some aggrieved individuals in Ibadan and Ogbomoso from the Akala/Adedibu camp had vowed to avenge the deaths of Akala’s nephew and two others.

Some political thugs belonging to the two camps, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, had equipped themselves with guns, knives and charms as they move round the state to hunt for one another.

A source told the Nigerian Tribune that the Akala/Adedibu men were now poised to meet the governor’s followers anywhere in the state to avenge the death.

“The battle line is drawn and we shall show them that they don’t have the monopoly of thuggery,” an aide of the deputy governor declared.

Asked by the Nigerian Tribune how innocent citizens of the state would not be molested in the course of the attacks, he stated that “we know our enemies. Anybody who is not identified with the attack in Akure would not be touched. But I can assure you that they would not go scot-free.”

But the deputy governor, Otunba Alao-Akala, appealed to his people to be calm and concentrate on how to win the April election, rather than taking revenge.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, head of media and publicity of Akala’s campaign organisation, said that “the deputy governor is a peaceful man. He is not interested in taking vengeance. Though, he felt disturbed and surprised that the governor had to export violence to a neighbouring state, all in his bid to secure the gubernatorial ticket. This is very shameful and barbaric.”

Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Alhaji Yayah Adetunji, aide of Chief Lamidi Adedibu, said that “Baba is not interested in violence. He is not ready to launch a reprisal attack, his focus now is how to win the election. What we are planning is how to record victory in the April election but not on how to be killing people. God will take vengeance.”

Ladoja also tasked the security agencies to investigate and bring to book those that were responsible for the act of violence aimed at him.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Prince Ade Adekanmbi, the governor, who said his camp was not noted for thuggery, called on the security agencies to do their job.

“Things cannot continue like this, especially when there is a breach of peace and security. We are not noted for thuggery, we expect the security agencies to investigate the incident and bring to book the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the tension is high mostly in the Iwo Road area of Ibadan where violence erupted on Saturday night when the news of the deputy governor’s nephew’s death got to his friends.

In another development, Senator Ladoja and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala were held hostage in Akure till Sunday following the clash between their supporters on Saturday.

The two principal actors in the political crisis rocking the state could not return to Ibadan after the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-West campaign held at the Akure Township Stadium.

The governor and his deputy had planned to return to their state capital after the programme but could not do so because of the tension that greeted the clash among their supporters.

Some of the advanced teams of Ladoja and Akala that left the venue had to return to Akure following the reports that the supporters had laid ambush for reprisal attack on the Akure-Ilesa express way.

Many of the vehicles that conveyed the supporters of the deputy governor were at the main entrance of the Ondo State Government House, Alagbaka, as at 11.00 p.m. on Saturday.

Sources at the Government House said that the governor and his deputy were housed at different locations within the Government House.

While Ladoja was said to be with Governor Olusegun Agagu in his lodge, Akala was lodged at the residence of the Ondo State deputy governor, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru.

It was learnt that the two were not put in the presidential lodge according to protocol, in order to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the government house.

The source, however, stated that it was Agagu that prevailed on the two of them not to return to Ibadan because of the tense situation. They, however, left early in the morning on Sunday.

However, in spite of keeping the governor and his deputy at the Government House, their supporters still engaged in another clash at the front of the governor’s main lodge after that of the stadium was suppressed by the police.

Following the crisis, the military authorities had deployed military personnel to strategic areas of Akure, the state capital, to forestall the escalation of the crisis.

At Old Garage area, more than 50 solders from 33 Artillery Brigade in Akure were stationed in the area in army vehicles marked NA192B01 and NA 714B01.

It would be recalled that three people were on Saturday killed during a clash between the supporters of the governor and that of his deputy.

Besides, several vehicles belonging to the Oyo State government were destroyed in clash during which suspected political thugs brandished dangerous weapons like cutlasses, axes, guns and charms.

The clash followed the final adoption of Akala as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Oyo State for the April elections.

The supporters of the Oyo State deputy governor had rushed out of the Akure township stadium, venue of the rally, to celebrate the final announcement of Alao-Akala as party’s candidate when they clashed with the supporters of Ladoja.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police in Abuja said that it had arrested six suspects in the Saturday mayhem, while also confirming that a vehicle with registration number Pilot 1 OYO has been impounded.

Force Public Relations Officer, Haz Iwendi, in a press statement, said that the police so far were interrogating six suspects, while investigation were still in progress.

“The police swiftly moved into the scene of the fracas and restored normalcy. Two of the miscreants were arrested and 34 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

“A vehicle with registration no Pilot 1 OYO that was found at the scene was impounded when the vehicle was searched, for prohibited firearms and 131 rounds of live catridges were recovered.”

The police, therefore, warn all those involved in political thuggery to desist in their own interest.

However, sources close to the state government said the discovered firearms might have been planted in the impounded vehicle by opponents when trouble broke out.

The source close to the security department said that it was possible for the opponents to plant incriminating weapons in the vehicle “because at the time of the mayhem, the police escorts who are majorly occupants of the vehicle had gone with the state governor to the venue of the rally, leaving behind only the driver, who also took to his heels and ran for dear life when pandemonium broke out.”