Three Killed As Ogun NURTW Members Clash

NO fewer than three people were killed and scores of others seriously injured on Thursday, in Ifo, Ogun State, when two opposing factions of the state's chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) clashed over control of the Ifo motor park.For eight hours, the boisterous town was held by the jugular as various weapons, including guns, cutlasses and clubs were brandished in the broad daylight by masked hoodlums. At the end, three people lay dead in various parts of the town.Investigations revealed that commercial activities in the popular Ifo market and other parts of the town, including movement of people and vehicles were grounded to a halt, as the hoodlums took over the town shooting sporadically to terrorize the residents.School children who had closed around 2 pm were not allowed to leave their school premises until around 6pm. Ditto artisans and office workers for the fear of being caught in the crossfire.But for the timely intervention of the police and members of the Oodua People's Congress (OPC), the clash would have been more fatal.There were conflicting reports on how the clash started. An account has it that the turmoil started at the Iso-Fufu park, when one of the NURTW members, whose named was given as Suraju, a.k.a Eleda, was abducted and whisked away by thugs believed to be members of the Eiye Fraternity and was later returned to the point of abduction dead. This drew the ire of his friends.Another version is that the faction opposing the leadership of the Ifo park Chairman, Alameda was bent on eliminating the present leadership of the NURTW in the town, hence the attack. This claim was backed with the fact that the house of the present secretary of the body was attacked and three vehicles, a Pathfinder, 505 Peugeot Evolution and a Volvo car were burnt to ashes. Six shops attached to the house were also torched.The two other deceased died at Orelope bus stop and Abekoko. While the first died as a result of his inexperience in handling of a gun, the other came all the way from Agbado-Ijaiye in Lagos to avenge his friend's death when he met his waterloo.
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