One person was alleged to have died in a clash that involved supporters of Kwara South Senatorial candidates of the APC and PDP in Ojoku, Oyun Local Government Area of the state.
A middle-aged man, Samson Adeosun, was allegedly killed while several others were injured when gunmen attacked the campaign team of APC Kwara South Senatorial candidate, Lola Ashiru in Ojoku.
Adeosun was hit when the team clashed with some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Palace of Olojoku of Ojoku, Oba Alhaji Yekeen Afolabi around 9 pm on Tuesday.
The body of the victim was said to have been deposited at the mortuary while the injured are receiving treatment at Offa General Hospital.
The attack in Ojoku, the hometown of Sen. Rafiu Adebayo, the PDP Senatorial candidate for the same Kwara South in the coming elections, was blamed on some PDP thugs by the Ashiru campaign team.
Addressing the press in Offa on Wednesday, Mr Femi Whyte, the Director- General of the campaign team, said the perpetrators of the act had earlier laid siege to the entrance of the Olojoku’s palace.
He said Ashiru was about stepping out of the palace after paying homage to the monarch when the gunmen opened fire, raining stones on the team.
According to him, it took the intervention of a police patrol team to rescue the APC senatorial candidate and other members of the campaign team from the area.
“Many of our members were injured by the gunshots, while one person, Samson Adeosun, who was rushed to the hospital has been confirmed dead, with several others receiving treatment.
“Some vehicles in our convoy were destroyed. It is also imperative for the public to know that as at the time of the attack a prominent PDP candidate was at Awrab Suites which is just 15 kilometres away from the Olojoku palace,” he said.
Some journalists were later conducted round some damaged vehicles and also visited the deceased and the injured at the Offa General Hospital.
In his reaction, Mallam Ibrahim Bolajoo, the PDP Ward Chairman in Ojoku, however, denied the claim by Ashiru campaign team, alleging it was the APC thugs that attack their supporters during the rally.
According to him, it was APC thugs that attacked our supporters who were seated in front of the palace and seven of our members who were critically injured are currently receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, the police spokesperson, Kwara command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said the command had put the situation under control and was also investigating the attack.
