An All Progressives Congress supporter in the Agege area of Lagos State, Mr. Eyitayo Peters aka Abona, lost his life on Thursday after being shot in the face on Orile Road.
Our correspondent, who was also in the area during the time of the shooting, learnt that another APC supporter, Lanre Ogunjimi, was shot in the waist on the same road but was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was immediately taken into the theatre for surgery.
Punch Metro learnt that the incident was caused by a feud between supporters of Mr. Oluyinka Ogundinmu of the APC and Mr. Oluniyi Raheem of the Peoples Democratic Party.
It was learnt that both Ogundinmu and Raheem are contesting the House of Assembly Agege Constituency 2 seat.The two groups, it was learnt, had been engaged in a show of force following allegations of removal of posters.
However, it was learnt that on Thursday, trouble started at the Methodist Primary School, Tabon Tabon, where agents of the Independent National Electoral Commission were distributing Permanent Voter Cards.
It was learnt that there was a fight when some youths attempted to steal PVCs.The youths were said to have taken to the streets to wreak havoc during which Peters was shot and killed.
Ogundinmu, who visited the scene of the incident, told Punch Metro that he was holding a town hall meeting with supporters when he heard the gunshots.
The APC candidate, who identified the deceased as his supporter, accused the PDP of fomenting trouble because they knew they could not win a fair contest.
He said,
“He (Peters) was shot from the roof of the Swiss Hotel which belongs to Raheem and it is very barbaric.
“Raheem’s thugs were harassing INEC workers at the Methodist Primary School Tabon Tabon. So, when I got information about the harassment of INEC officials, I called the Divisional Police Officer of the Elere Police Station but the thugs had fled the PVC distribution centre before policemen arrived. The thugs then hid in Raheem’s hotel.
“I returned to where I was holding a town hall meeting and asked the policemen to provide security in the area. It was when I was inside the hall that I heard gunshots. When I ran out, I discovered that Abona (Peters) was dead while the other was in critical condition near Raheem’s hotel. They had been shot by Raheem’s thugs who were in his hotel. I have taken Ogunjimi to a hospital in Oko Oba where he is undergoing a surgery. I have told my supporters not to retaliate.”
However, Raheem said his supporters were not responsible for Abona’s murder. He said Abona was most likely killed by the policemen stationed beside his hotel.
He said it was the APC that was perpetrating violence in the area.He said,
“What happened was that the APC boys stormed the PVC distribution centre and wanted to collect cards for people by proxy. My agent, who was at the centre, refused to allow this and instead of the INEC officials to reason with him, they connived with the APC boys to kick my agent out.
“The APC boys then came to my hotel and vandalised the place so I called the police. Policemen fired warning shots at the thugs. I was told that he (Peters) was killed by a police bullet.My hotel has been searched and no weapons were found inside. It is Ogundinmu and his thugs that perpetrate violence in this area.”
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said the deceased was not killed by the police.
Nwosu said the policemen reacted to a distress call about violence in the area but when they arrived at the scene, they found Peters dead.
He, however, added that investigations into the murder had commenced.
