Security beefed up in Ekiti as drivers protest killing of colleague

The drivers union in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Sunday, staged a protest over the killing of one of their members during the political fracas between two rival political parties in the state.
Thugs allegedly loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Saturday clashed in Itaji Ekiti, leaving at least one dead and several injured.
The deceased, a driver, was identified as Tope Ajayi.
Both political parties had claimed they were at the receiving end of the attack.
On Sunday morning, the protesting drivers, backed by other members of the APC in the state, marched around the capital, sparking tensions and fears of possible reprisal attacks on members of the SDP.
The APC had accused the SDP campaign of masterminding the shooting of its supporters including Mr Itaji, a member of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, who was shot and killed during the clash.
It was gathered that the protest forced many residents to cancel going to church in the morning, locked, and the streets were deserted for fear of being caught in the fray.
Roads to major places like Ijigbo, Odo-Ado, Okeyinmi, Atikankan and Ajilosun areas, were blocked by the protesters, who brandished dangerous weapons, forcing motorists and commercial motorcyclists to take other routes to avoid being attacked.

However, a combined team of the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, was deployed to flashpoints in Ado Ekiti to forestall any major violence.
The security forces took over areas such as Ijigbo, Atikankan, Basiri, Ajilosun and Ilawe road in the state capital, to avert a looming reprisal attack.
Besides patrolling the streets in Hilux trucks, they stationed three Armoured Personnel Carriers in strategic locations in the state capital

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Although normalcy had gradually returned to various parts of Ado Ekiti as of the time of filing this report, it was learnt that the Assumpta area, where Tosin Aluko’s motor park was located, was still witnessing a lockdown.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said his men had been able to quell the crisis and restored calm to Ado metropolis, after the early morning bedlam.
He added that the Police Commissioner, Morounkeji Adesina, had ordered a heavy deployment of anti-riot and plain-clothed policemen to some of the identified flashpoints across the state, to ward off violence and bloodshed.
“The Police Commissioner and other security outfits have been trying to ensure that this election is violence-free, and other stakeholders, especially the political actors must join us, because no election is worth the blood of any citizen,” said Mr Abutu.

“Concerning what has been happening in the political scene, the CP had ordered full investigations into reported cases of shooting and disruption and we are assuring you that those found guilty will be severely dealt with.”

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