The Osun State Police Command has arrested the state Commissioner for Environment, Mayowa Anjorin, for allegedly masterminding a gun attack on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the party’s rally in Ilesa at the weekend.
Also in police net in connection with the incident is an operative of the Osun State Security Network Agency, otherwise known as Amotekun.
It was gathered that three persons were hit by bullets when some armed men allegedly stormed the APC rally and opened fire.
The injured, identified as Tobi Ilesanmi, Wasiu Alanide and Aderemi Adedeji, were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The incident was the latest in the eruption of violence in the state ahead of the governorship election scheduled for next Saturday where incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party will battle APC’s Bola Oyebamiji.
In a statement by its spokesman, Abiodun Ojelabi, the state police command last night confirmed the arrest of the commissioner.
According to the statement, some gunmen, allegedly led by Anjorin, drove to the rally and opened fire.
Some of Anjorin’s companions wore the Amotekun uniform, Ojelabi said.
With their mission accomplished, the suspects fled the scene only to be given a chase by some members of the public.
The chase resulted in the apprehending of some of the fleeing gunmen.
The police said that one of the suspected Amotekun personnel pulled a knife on his pursuers and even attempted to stab them with a view to freeing himself.
Ojelabi said operatives of the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), acting on information about the incident, mobilised to the area and sighted a Lexus vehicle with registration number ABJ-89TS.
He said an individual identified as an Amotekun operative, was found inside the vehicle and allegedly in possession of a pump-action firearm.
The vehicle and its occupants were subsequently arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for questioning and further investigation.
Ojelabi said preliminary investigation identified one of the occupants as Anjorin, the Commissioner for Environment.
The Command also acknowledged allegations linking the Chief Whip of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Wale Akerele, to the incident, but stressed that the claim remained under investigation.
“No individual should be presumed guilty until the investigation establishes otherwise,” the police said.
The police said four expended cartridges and an Amotekun cap were recovered at the scene.
The Command said its investigation would determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, identify all those involved, establish the source and ownership of the firearms allegedly used and determine the level of involvement of each person connected with the incident.
The Command urged political parties, candidates, their supporters and members of the public to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
Meanwhile, both the Accord Party and All Progressives Congress (APC) have traded blames over the shooting incident, demanding prompt investigation.
