A mobile policeman opened fire as
Fayemi, surrounded by scores of party chieftains, was leaving APC’s state
secretariat to move to the city centre in continuation of the rally.
A former member of the House of
Representatives, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, and five other people were hit by
bullets.
Bamidele was struck in the belly.
APC last night gave the names of the
other victims as Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin,
Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye, and alleged that the real target was
Fayemi himself.
Governor Ayodele Fayose said the
attack was self-induced.
His spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said
the bullet that hit Bamidele and others was “fired by one of the armed
mobile policemen who accompanied Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.”
The wounded people were rushed
to the hospital for treatment.
The suspected policeman was
overpowered and disarmed by angry party members who also gave him the
beating of his life.
He was saved from possible
death by his colleagues.
Police sources said last night that
he was on an illegal duty.
Confusion enveloped the scene
as bullets rang out and people ran for dear lives.
Moment before the shooting, Fayemi
had driven to the premises in the company of his wife, Bisi.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of
Ondo State; his running mate Chief Bisi Egbeyemi; former Minister of State for
Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Mr.
Ifedayo Abegunde and other senior party figures had all accompanied Fayemi from
the Akure Airport to Ekiti State where they were received by a massive crowd.
The suspect was seen helping to keep
the surging crowd at bay when the unexpected happened: he began shooting
in the direction of Fayemi and other dignitaries.
Suspect was on illegal duty –police
sources
Police sources said last night that
the suspected policeman was on illegal duty.
However, the Police Public Relations
Officer (PPRO) in Ekiti State, Mr. Caleb
Chukwuemeka said a detailed report
of the incident was still being compiled.
Handling the assignment is the
Assistant Commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department
(SCID).
Chukwuemeka promised to get back
when the official report of the incident gets to his table
A senior officer at Ekiti State
Command who asked not to be quoted denied speculation that the culprit was a
fake officer.
But he said the suspect was on
illegal duty in Ekiti State.
“The man who fired gunshots at the
APC secretariat is not a fake MOPOL officer. He is a genuine officer, but he
came to Ekiti on illegal duty,” the source said.
“He is attached to MOPOL 20 in Lagos
but followed a politician to Ekiti.
“He is not on official duty to
Ekiti. He is receiving treatment at a secured environment and investigation
continues.”
The MOPOL who shot ex-Reps member Opeyemi Bamidele and five
other APC members at the rally to welcome the party’s candidate,Dr. Kayode Fayemi…
yesterday. PHOTO: Odunayo OGUNMOLA.
It was an assassination attempt on
Fayemi,says APC
In its first reaction to the
shooting, the State Chapter of the APC said Fayemi was the main target.
It alleged that four gunmen
had mixed with the crowd to carry out the attack.
Publicity Secretary of the party,
Mr.Taiwo Olatunbosun, who spoke for the party said: Bloody politicking returned
to Ekiti State today as former Governor Kayode Fayemi survived
assassination in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
“Fayemi resigned his appointment on
Wednesday as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and was returning to
Ekiti State on Friday in a welcome party planned by his party, the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
“It was a smooth ride from Akure
Airport to Ikere-Ekiti where thousands of supporters came out to give him a
rousing welcome.
“Ikere-Ekiti journey to Ado-Ekiti, a
distance of about nine kilometres, lasted two hours in a heavy traffic that was
punctuated by four gunmen suspected to be agents of the state government who
strategically positioned themselves at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for
the attack.
“One of the assailants dressed in
mobile police uniform was apprehended and he is now helping the police in their
investigation.
“They fired gunshots aimed at Fayemi
but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had
taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target.
“Bamidele and other victims were
immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors are treating them.
“Bamidele was wounded in the attack
while others also sustained various degrees of injuries.
“Other victims in the hospital
included Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede
Oluwole and Alex Adeleye.”
We’ll rescue Ekiti –Fayemi, Akeredolu
Earlier, Fayemi and his entourage
were received by the state APC executive led by the Chairman, Chief Olajide
Awe.
Akeredolu and Fayemi, while
addressing party leaders and members, declared the readiness of the APC to
rescue Ekiti from poverty, hunger and underdevelopment.
Akeredolu applauded the party
members for putting behind them the post-primary crisis, and declared that if
the crowd he saw yesterday was anything to go by, Ekiti remains a stronghold of
the APC.
“Fayemi has returned with full force
to reclaim the land,” he said.
“He needs your support and this task
shall be achieved in the mighty name of God.”
Fayemi said: “We are here to work
for Ekiti and our party leaders and this we are going to do together because it
is a collective responsibility.
“We are going to work with
everybody, including those who just decamped to our party, because we are one
big family in APC.
“We shall win by the grace of God.
Our case was like the case of a ram who moved backward to garner more strength.
We are here to rescue Ekiti and it is a task we must achieve.”
Adeyeye, who joined the APC on
Tuesday after 12 years in the PDP, said: “Fayose (Governor Ayodele) is
politically dead and buried.
“I have returned home and my mission
is to ensure that we kill Fayose politically by burying him.
“We shall mobilise well to achieve
this task, and by the grace of God, this is a must-win and must accomplishd
task for all of us.”
Thousands of people
waved as Fayemi’s motorcade passed through Akure, Iju, Itaogbolu in
Ondo State on the way to Ekiti State.
A massive lockdown soon ensued
at Oke Osun, Odo Oja Oke’kere areas of Ikere where thousands of party faithful
had gathered to welcome the flag bearer into the state. The convoy arrived
Ikere township at about 3.00 pm.
It took another one hour for the
train to reach Ado-Ekiti where a crowd was waiting to receive Fayemi and his
team. They arrived the state capital at about 4.00 pm.
Enthusiastic residents held
placards, banners and flyers with Fayemi’s portraits.
The Hausa, Ebira, Igbo and Urhobo
communities, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW),
market women and commercial motorcycle riders joined in the reception party.
Traffic was at a standstill along
Ikere Road in Ado-Ekiti for about three with party members holding party on the
highway.
Fayose: Blame APC for attack
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti
State last night accused the APC of causing yesterday’s bloodshed.
Fayose in a WhatsApp message by his
Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, alleged
that suspected APC thugs backed by armed policemen caused mayhem at Ojumose
area of Ado-Ekiti.
He said: “Bloodshed in Ado-Ekiti now
as Fayemi and his APC invaded Ekiti with thugs.
“Shot fired by one of the armed mobile
policemen that accompanied Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State hit Hon.
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
“APC thugs backed by policemen were
also on the rampage at Ojumose area of Ado-Ekiti.
“One of the canisters of teargas
fired by the policemen hit a woman in a taxi just now, injuring her seriously.
The late Prince Adegoke’s house was invaded by armed policemen.”
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