3 Killed At PDP Congresses In Kwara State

Three people were allegedly feared dead in Ilorin yesterday when supporters of the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) in the state engaged one another in  sporadic  shooting over alleged imposition of the ward executives of the party.

The PDP in the state had last week commenced registration of its members across the 16 local government councils of the state that culminated  in the conduct of the  ward congress of the party on Monday across the 193 wards in the state. The state police commissioner, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor yesterday confirmed that seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The incident according to Daily Sun checks happened at Sango area of Ilorin when some of the supporters of the PDP believed to be  thugs engaged in sporadic shooting with one another over  the imposition of ward executives in the wards.

The congress,  despite large turn out of party supporters who abandoned their businesses was however marred by violence in some places.

Eyewitness account gathered that the exercise turned violent in Sango area of Ilorin when a police man shot into the air in an attempt to control rowdy situation but his gun fell down and was picked by a group of suspected hoodlums who refused to release it to the police.

This development however,  led the police to   forcefully retrieved the AK-47 rifle from the hoodlums and in the process led another police man shot at the suspected hoodlums in possession of the gun thereby leading to pandemonium.

The source said “Some hoodlums also took the advantage of the crises to set up a bon fire along the area obstructing free flow of traffic.

Similarly, at  Ajikobo central ward of Ilorin West local government area of the  state, DAILY SUN Investigations revealed  that the exercise which started smoothly in the morning with large turn out of members also turned violent  as it was disrupted mid way.

It was gathered  that officials of the party had insisted that members should present their party membership registration card baring holders’ photographs before they could be allowed entrance into Ansarul Islam Primary School,Okekere venue of the congress.But the situation degenerated to a rowdy session leading to gun shot into the air.

Confirming  the incident, the state police commissioner, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor said that, seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Aisabor said that, the affected people were said to be allegedly involving in the sporadic shooting that happened in Ilorin.

The state police commissioner who was silent  on numbers of dead person, however said that, the police command would commence full investigations into the incident and any person found culpable would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Also speaking on the incident, the state  acting  chairman Publicity  committee of PDP, Alhaji Maryam Muhammed  Alhasan who confirmed the incident expressed dissappointment at the way and manner the ward congress had been conducted in the state.
According to him, the acting chairman was a benevolence person who dashed the supporters money but it later turned sour as two group of suspected thugs  belonging to some prominent politician in the party caused the shoot out. Though he cannnot confirm if any one died as at the time of filling this report but said they open fire on themselves.