The House of Representatives candidate, Francis Eniade, has alleged that he and his aides were attacked by suspected thugs at a police station in Okuku, headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, on Wednesday night.
The Nation learnt that Eniade’s convoy was reportedly waylaid by suspected thugs while returning from Inisa, forcing him to seek refuge at the Okuku Divisional Police Station.
However, two of his aides were allegedly attacked at the station, while Eniade narrowly escaped. Two vehicles in his convoy were reportedly left at the police station.
Reacting to the incident, Eniade alleged that the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, was behind the attack.
Speaking with newsmen, Eniade said his convoy was attacked while returning from Inisa by suspected thugs and security personnel allegedly attached to Egbedun.
‘My convoy was waylaid while returning from Inisa by suspected thugs and security personnel attached to Hon. Egbedun, who were travelling in a Lexus Jeep,’ he alleged.
‘I sensed the danger, I directed my driver to increase his speed and head to the Okuku Divisional Police Station for safety.
‘But Egbedun’s security details and suspected thugs invaded the police station, where I was. I escaped narrowly, but my driver was wounded while Hilux and other vehicles were damaged.’
Eniade called for an investigation into the incident and demanded the arrest of everyone allegedly involved.
The Speaker, however, denied the allegation through his Chief Press Secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu.
Tiamiyu alleged that Eniade had earlier threatened residents of Egbedun’s constituency and attempted to attack the Chairman of Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Adewale Adeyinka, with men allegedly dressed as police officers.
He said residents resisted the alleged attack, forcing Eniade and his entourage to flee.
‘Eniade, who had earlier threatened the people of my constituency, wanted to attack the council chairman of Odo-Otin, Adewale Adeyinka, with fake policemen when residents stood against him in town,’ Tiamiyu said.
‘They were chased and, for fear of the mob, they tried to escape, but two of the fake policemen were eventually arrested with guns and taken to the DSS Command in Osogbo.’
Adeyinka, the council chairman, also gave his account of the incident, saying he encountered Eniade’s convoy while returning from a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo.
‘I was on my way home from a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo when, upon getting to Inisa, I noticed a three-vehicle convoy belonging to Francis Eniade. The convoy consisted of his personal vehicle, a Hilux truck and a van,’ he said.
Adeyinka said he immediately attempted to contact the Divisional Police Officer of the Okuku Division to alert him to what he considered a threat to his life, but the DPO did not answer his calls.
He said he subsequently contacted the Speaker, who advised him to return to the police station and seek protection.
‘We turned back and headed towards the police station. When we arrived, the gate was still locked but later an officer rushed to open the gate for us and we drove in. The vehicle belonging to Eniade followed and drove in behind us, while the van carrying the suspected thugs and persons dressed in fake security uniforms remained at some distance,’ Adeyinka said.
According to him, the occupants of the van fled after hearing the siren of the Speaker’s convoy, prompting members of the public who witnessed the incident to pursue them.
‘However, immediately the occupants of the van heard the siren of the convoy conveying the Honourable Speaker, without even knowing who they fled the scene. Members of the public who had witnessed the chase and understood the danger involved then pursued them,’ he said.
Adeyinka said two of the fleeing suspects were subsequently apprehended by members of the public, while a firearm was recovered from them.
He added that security personnel attached to the Speaker’s convoy took the suspects from the crowd when the Speaker arrived to prevent possible mob action.