Pandemonium: 3 Dead, Police officers Injured As Buhari’s Victory Celebration Turns Bloody

MouthpieceNG gathered that in Kaduna, about three people were reportedly killed while others injured when supporters of President Buhari and those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, clashed.

At Ilare-Ijesa in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State two persons were shot while several others were injured during a clash between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the PDP.

Also in Lagos, three policemen attached to Okokomaiko Police Station were injured when some youths celebrating the President’s re-election attacked the station.

Those celebrating the President’s victory in Benue State reportedly defaced posters of Governor Samuel Ortom.

The Kaduna incident occurred at Trikania community, close to the Nnamdi Azikiwe by-pass in Kaduna South Local Government Area.

It was learnt that trouble started early in the morning when the APC supporters took to the street to celebrate the victory of their candidate.

The supporters were said to have taken their celebration to Atiku’s stronghold, which led to the clash.

Dangerous weapons were freely used, which led to the death of three persons while several others were injured before the intervention of security operatives.

However, security operatives comprising soldiers and mobile police were deployed in the area to check further break down of law and order.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Yakubu Sabo, said “information available to the police is that some youths were trying to take the law into their hands and security agencies were immediately drafted to the place to main the law.”

But Sabo said he was not aware of any death. He, however, promised to get back to our correspondent if he confirmed the information.

However, later in a statement, Sabo called on parents and community leaders to warn their wards against “reckless celebrations”.

He said: “The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to call on the good people of Kaduna State who are celebrating the victory of President Buhari in the elections held on Saturday 23rd February 2019, to moderate and celebrate with decorum.

“The command has observed with dismay the reckless way motorists and motorcyclists are driving on highways and public places in the name of celebration which is causing fatal vehicle accidents.”

Meanwhile, in the Muslim dominated northern part of Kaduna metropolis, it was celebration galore as residents of the area took to the streets in jubilation as soon as Buhari was declared winner.

A resident of Kurmin Mashi, who identified himself simply as Shehu, said the celebrations started by 1a.m.

He said: “We did not sleep at all with the celebration of Buhari’s victory. These people were going from house to house, disturbing people and knocking on our gates in the name of celebration. They didn’t allow us to sleep.”

The situation was said to have been the same in areas like Angwan Sarki, Tudun Wada, Rigassa, Angwan Dosa, Kawo areas, among several others.

The metropolis was taken over by the celebrants who drove round some of the streets in convoy of cars and motorcycles with party music from loud speakers mounted on a vehicle.

Some of them were driving dangerously on motorcycles and cars, without regards for traffic rules and regulations.

Many shops in the city centre, especially on the ever-busy Ahmadu Bello Way, Independence Way, Lagos Street and Katsina Road, among others, had been closed since after Saturday.

In Osun, it was learnt that a man and his wife were hit by stray bullets while sitting in front of their house when political thugs were engaged in a gun duel.

The couple, Mr. Elijah Babajide and Mrs. Omoyeni Babajide, who were shot in the chest and leg, were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical treatment.

The police said they had arrested about 16 people in connection with the clash.

Meanwhile, the two political parties were trading blames over the violence.

Atmosphere in the town was tensed at press time as many residents had fled for fear of being arrested by the police.

A senior police officer, who preferred anonymity, said the state police command had ordered deployment of both conventional and mobile policemen in the town to maintain law and order.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Folasade Odoro, could not be reached on her mobile phone.

The Owalare of Ilare, Oba Adejoro Otebolaku, Ogidan III, said there was a rift between loyalists of the PDP and APC which led to the arrest of some members of the parties by the police but were later released.

In Lagos, youths celebrating the President’s victory destroyed traders’ wares at Okomaiko.

The youth, who work at Alaba Rago, were said to have blocked both sides of the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway.

It was learnt that immediately the traders saw the youth surging towards them, they left their goods and fled. The youth were said to have also gone to the Okokomaiko Police Station where they reportedly injured three policeman.

A witness, who gave her name simply as Blessing, said she was in her shop when she saw some youths, who were mostly from the northern part of the country, singing songs of victory in celebration of President Buhari.

She said: “The hoodlums were shouting Sai Baba, as they were coming from Alaba market. Immediately they got to Okokomaiko they started destroying traders’ wares, which forced many of us to run away, living our goods behind.

Another witness, who identified himself as Peter, said the blockage of the road affected passengers, who were going to work on the Lagos Island, Apapa and other areas.

He said: “The Hausa youths, apart from celebrating the President’s victory, were also violent as they hurled sachets of water, pebbles and sticks at people they suspected were not pleased with their actions.

“Not long, policemen from Okokomaiko Station arrived the scene to remove the tyres and other things they used in blocking the expressway so that commuters could move freely.

Similarly, some suspected hoodlums have also attacked traders on the Lagos Island, accusing them of not voting for the APC.

The miscreants, who were armed with dangerous weapons like machetes, broken bottles, woods and knives, struck about 9a.m. at Oluwole, Nnamdi Azikwe, Tinubu, Bamgbose and Alli streets.

Sources said some Igbo traders were about to open their shops for business when they were instructed that all the shops should remain locked.

According to the sources, the traders insisted that they would open for the day.

The witnesses claimed the hoodlums were parading the affected areas, shouting, ‘Igbo should go back to their states to do business. This is Lagos’.

One of the hoodlums was said to have told traders that they came to campaign for them to vote for Buhari, but they refused and voted for Atiku.

“This is just a sample for them, if they ever vote for PDP again, that will be their end,” the hoodlums reportedly threatened.

However, the Area ‘A’ Commander, ACP Bode Ojajuni, who was informed of the situation, immediately sent his men to the area to restore normalcy.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Chike Oti, denied the report of attack on traders.

The PPRO said there was a misunderstanding between two sets of hoodlums on the Island and policemen went there to disperse them before it escalated beyond control.

Oti said the hoodlums didn’t attack traders and that there was no time the issue of attack on Igbo arose.

But the PPRO said 37 suspects were arrested at the Alaba Rago and that investigation had commenced.

In Benue, the state government directed the security operatives to bring Senator George Akume to order for allegedly causing lawlessness and threats to peace.

The former governor reportedly led many APC supporters, among them hoodlums celebrating President Buhari’s re-election victory but who allegedly vandalised campaign posters and other materials of Governor Ortom.

Akume, who lost his bid to return to the Senate to Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Orker Jev, was in a motorcade attempting to drive into the Government House but was reportedly stopped by security men.

The Governor’s Media Adviser, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, alleged in a statement that Akume’s action followed his defeat at the polls.

Agerzua also accused Akume of instigating what he called a small band of supporters in his hometown of Wannune to block the road and harass passers-by as well as PDP members.