There was panic on Monday at Old Garage area, Osogbo the capital of Osun State when security operatives in the convoy of Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola shot sporadically.
The Nation gathered that Aregbesola was returning from Ijebu Jesha where he endorsed former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti as the next Governor ahead of All Progressives Congress(APC) primary on Saturday when the incident occurred.
The incident caused panic as residents of Osogbo around Ajekunle, Rasco, Orisunmbare, Post Office, Ola-Iya, station road and Fagbewesa areas ran helter skelter.
The gunshot started at 6:40pm and lasted for about 11 minutes.
A trader at Old Garage Idowu, said: “Aregbesola’s convoy was passing through old garage area when the incident occurred.
“Aregbesola was standing on the roof of a white jeep and was waving at the people but some passersby were booing him.
“They were charging at him to launch an attack on him but his security operatives who were part of his convoy shot sporadically to scare them away.
Ex-Commissioner for Environment, who is one of the aides of Aregbesola, Bola Ilori, wrote on his Facebook page: “Only a lazy man starts a wrestling match with cutlass and guns – Aregbe!!!.
“Oyetola thugs fired several gunshots at Aregbesola’s, Adeoti (Sheu) convoy after declaring his preferred choice for Governorship.
“The attackers were repelled by combined efforts of Police, DSS, NSCDC etc and luckily no casually was recorded.”
But Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, in a statement said: “The interest of perpetrators is simply to thwart the peace of the State and create fear in the minds of the good people of Osun counting on a long-lost influence.
“The Government of Osun hereby warns that there are no sacred cows in the state. No one is above the law here regardless of their past glories or future aspirations.
“Security agencies have been well briefed about the activities of these mischief-makers, who have set themselves on a collision course with the law.
“Anyone, irrespective of their office or station, caught disrupting the peace of Osun will answer to the law.”
Osun Police spokesperson SP Yemisi Opalola did not respond to calls as of the time of filing this report