Police restore calm after gunshots disrupt Akure APC primary

By Boye Oyeyemi

Normalcy has been restored at Ward 5, Ebenezer African Church Primary School on Amudipe Street, following the disruption of the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary for Ondo Central Senatorial District by suspected political thugs.

Western Post had earlier reported that gunshots triggered fear across parts of the city as traders, motorists and residents scampered for safety over suspicions of an armed robbery attack.

A trader at Okelisa Market said many residents hurriedly shut their shops after rumours spread that gunmen had invaded the town.

“I was inside my shop when people suddenly started running and shouting that robbers had entered Akure. Everybody quickly locked up and fled because nobody knew exactly what was happening,” the trader said.

Calm, however, returned to the area shortly after security operatives intervened, while transport operators and business owners gradually resumed activities.

The Ondo State Police Command later dismissed reports linking the incident to armed robbery, saying preliminary investigations pointed to the activities of suspected political thugs during the primary election.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said, “The Ondo State Police Command wishes to debunk reports making the rounds regarding an alleged armed robbery incident in Akure. Preliminary findings and credible intelligence available to the Command indicate that the incident was not a robbery attack as speculated, but rather activities involving suspected thugs, which resulted in sporadic gunshots within the area.”