Police And NSCDC Bicker Over Attack On Aregbesola’s Convoy

After a meeting at his farmhouse Ilesa, Aregbesola was in Osun in a convoy to campaign for a former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti.
As the convoy went from Old Garage to Oke Fia Area of Osogbo, gunshots were heard, generating panic among the inhabitants.
According to the Osun State Police Command, 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.
The command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, in a statement 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 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.”
In a separate statement, the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps stated security personnel repelled an attack on Aregbesola’s convoy by unknown hoodlums.
“Unknown hoodlums attacked the convoy of the former Governor of Osun State and Minister of the Federal Ministry of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola today at about 1840hrs around Old Garage area in Osogbo, the State Capital,” stated Olabisi Atanda, the NSCDC’s spokeswoman in Osun.
“However, the Minister’s security detail was able to disperse the hoodlums and bring the area back to order.”
“Commandant Emmanuel Ocheja stated that Osun State is a peaceful state, and that the Command will continue to provide good and comprehensive security services in the state in accordance with the Corps’ statutory mandates and functions.” The NSCDC’s watchword is always professionalism and impartiality.”