Posted by By Tunde Odesola, Osogbo on
A 17-year-old Senior Secondary School student of St. Mark's Grammar School, Osogbo, Kehinde Ahmed, has been confirmed dead following a violent clash.....
A 17-year-old Senior Secondary School student of St. Mark's Grammar School, Osogbo, Kehinde Ahmed, has been confirmed dead following a violent clash between supporters of the Alliance for Democracy and the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday in Osogbo.
Supporters of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and those of an AD gubernatorial aspirant, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, clashed at a public function, using guns, machetes, swords, daggers and clubs.
Our correspondent gathered that Ahmed, who is the son of the Chief Imam of Oke-Ayo Mosque on Ibikunle Street in Osogbo, slumped during the imbroglio.
A neighbour of the deceased's, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, said Ahmed might have died out of exertion.
'When he slumped, there was nobody to come to his rescue. The violence was going on then. He had died before calm was restored," the neighbour said.
Kehinde was at the event to serve food and drinks to guests.
He was buried on Saturday soon after his death.
Meanwhile, the socio-political organisation of Aregbesola, Oranmiyan, has urged the police to probe the alleged attack on the gubernatorial aspirant.
A statement by the Media Director of Oranmiyan, Mr. Gbenga Fayemiwo, urged the police to investigate the alleged attack on Aregbesola.
But the Osun State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Ademola Rasak, said the event showed that the AD was planning to employ violence in the 2007 elections.
Rasak, who condemned the violence, said it was high time politics was played decently by the AD.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the AD in the state, Mr. Adejare Adebisi, said the attack on Aregbesola was premeditated.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, Mr. Sulaimon Fakai, has debunked the claim by Oranmiyan that the police shot at Aregbesola's car.
Fakai, in a statement on Sunday, said the police tolerated the unruly behaviour of Aregbesola's supporters.