Some youths in Ipele community in Owo Local Government Area have narrated how they narrowly escaped death, as they were attacked by thugs allegedly led by an All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bola Orisadare.
Also different videos shared with SaharaReporters showed Orisadare brandishing a pump-action gun during the attack in the community.
Many persons were said to have been injured as the thugs destroyed chairs while hitting those present with rods.
Orisadare is reportedly president of the community youth association, and had held the position for the past 14 years without making any move to hand over to anyone to anyone.
However, some members of the association demanded a constitution to stipulate his tenure.
“A top APC politician who doubles as the youth association president of Ipele led thugs to attack his fellow youths who are for the progress and development of the community today. This politician, Bola Orisadare has spent over 14 years in this youth presidency and he is ruling illegally without any constitution that back up his administration,” one of the injured youths told SaharaReporters.
“However, some concerned youths of the community who are intellectual and committed rose up and took some legal steps to put some strategies in place peacefully in order to balance the situation of the association. Firstly, the concerned youths drafted a constitution with 11-man committee.
“During this process, they organized a congress meeting purposely for the adoption of the constitution in which letters were written to the king’s palace, the LCDA chairman, the eight quarters’ presidents of the community, the Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O), Civil Defence office in the community.
“You know he is an APC member, to our surprise, the LCDA administration collaborated with the community king and wrote petitions against these youths calling for Bola’s removal. They sent those petitions to the Department of State Services (DSS) and police.
“Meanwhile, the House of Assembly member representing the constituency, Hon. Morenike Atinuke Witherspoon is also from Ipele. She called some of the representatives to her house in Akure for a peace meeting and appealed to them. So after the meeting, she proposed to meet with all the youths in the community.
“The meeting was slated to hold today, 3rd of November, so the youths assembled themselves at the venue fixed. While the House of Assembly member was on her way, Bola who has been ruling illegally for 14 years led thugs to the venue with guns. They started firing gunshots and beating youths who were present at the venue. We humbly request for justice for those attacked.”
When contacted by SaharaReporters, Orisadare desclined to comment, saying he doesn’t talk to journalists on phone.
“I cannot speak to you on phone because I do not grant interviews on phone. You should invite me or come to Ondo State to conduct the interview,” he said.
When asked about the harassment of youths in the community, the politician added, “They are the youths of my community, what concerns you about what happened in the community?”
When pressed further and reminded that he was being given an opportunity to state his side of the story to balance the report, he said, “I cannot speak, you should invite me or come, I will even allow you to video me and do my recording and give you facts but I won’t speak.”
Saharareporters
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