It was a bloody weekend at Igbotako in Okitipupa local government area of Ondo State as two persons were allegedly shot by soldiers attached to Okitipupa Local Government Council, while several others were badly injured.
The deceased simply identified as Sunday Adejuwon and Yomi Akinyemi were said to have been shot through a stray bullet following a clash between the Okitipupa local government Chairman, Niyi Gbirinsola and people of Igbotako.
Eyewitnesses told DailyPost that crisis broke out when the council boss stormed the community to arrest violators of environmental sanitation exercise.
It was gathered that the people shunned the Sanitation exercise on the grounds that the this month environmental day fell on their Market Day and that they couldn’t abandon their businesses for the exercise.
The people’s reactions, was said to have provoked Gbirinsola, who allegedly invited soldiers at the Okitipupa Barrack to the community in an attempt to scare the residents, but in that process, two people were allegedly shot dead by stray bullets, while several others got injured.
Speaking on the matter, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wale Ogodo said he could not give details on the incident.
He added that the State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke was on his way to the community as at the time of filing this report to access the level of the incident.
But a Legal Practitioner, Bode Famakin condemned the actions of the soldiers, with a warning that they must avoid being used by politicians.
Famakin, who is an indigene of the community described the incident as barbaric, stressing that he does not know when the law of Nigeria allows killings of environmental offenders.
He charged the State Commissioner of Police to bring the perpetrators to book.
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