By Isaac Kertyo
Osun State Police Command has said security men in the convoy of Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, were behind the shooting that occurred at the Old Garage end of Osogbo on Monday.
During the incident, gunshots were heard, causing panic among the residents, as the convoy passed through Old Garage to Oke Fia Area of Osogbo.
The command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, in a statement obtained on Tuesday said operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Correctional Service and Immigration Service in the convoy of Aregbesola, shot without provocation along Old Garage and MDS in Osogbo metropolis, as the convoy passed through the area.
Opalola, who also said the shooting caused panic, noted that 13 bullet shells were recovered after the convoy had left the area.
The statement read in part, “Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola was moving in convoy of personnel of NSCDC, Correctional Service, Immigration, as well as some unidentified armed people suspected to be political thugs along Orisumbare/MDS Road, Osogbo.
“Suddenly, some of the security escorts of the minister started shooting sporadically into the air without any provocation nor attack, thereby causing members of the public to scamper to safety. 13 empty shells of G-3, assault and Ak-47 riffles were recovered along the road after the Minister’s departure. No casualty however recovered.”
But Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, in another statement, said security operatives repelled attack by some unknown hoodlums on the convoy of Aregbesola.
A statement by Olabisi Atanda, the spokesperson for NSCDC in Osun, said, “unknown hoodlums attacked the convoy of the former Governor of Osun State and Minister, Federal Ministry of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola today at about 1840hrs around Old Garage area in Osogbo, the State Capital.
“However, the security details of the Minister were able to disperse the hoodlums and bring normalcy to the area.
“Commandant Emmanuel Ocheja said Osun State is a peaceful state and the Command will continue to render excellent and all–inclusive security services in the State, in line with the statutory mandates and functions of the Corps. Professionalism and impartiality is the watchword of NSCDC at all times.”
