Graduate killed in attack on Kwara APC senatorial candidate

An graduate-applicant, Samson Adeosun, was killed while several others suffered varying degrees of injury when some gunmen attacked the campaign train of the Kwara South Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Mr Lola Ashiru,  in Ojoku.
Adeosun, who holds  a Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate, was shot  when members of the campaign train  were attacked by some members of the Peoples Democratic Party at the palace of  the Olojoku of Ojoku, Oba  Yekeen Afolabi, at  9 pm on Tuesday.
The corpse  of the victim, who graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, was deposited at the mortuary of the Offa General Hospital where the injured  were also being treated.
The attack in Ojoku, the home town of Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim, the  Kwara South Senatorial candidate for the PDP, was blamed on  thugs of the ruling party in the state  by the Ashiru campaign team.
Addressing newsmen in Offa on Wednesday, Mr Femi Whyte, the Director General of the Ashiru Campaign Organisation, said the perpetrators of the act had earlier laid siege to the entrance of the Olojoku’s palace.
He said Ashiru was about stepping out of the palace after paying homage to the monarch when the gunmen opened fire on the team from various directions.
According to him, it took the intervention of a police patrol team to  rescue the APC senatorial candidate and other members of the team.
“Many of our members were injured by the gun shots while one person, Samson Adeosun, who was rushed to the hospital was later confirmed dead, with several others receiving treatment.
“Many vehicles in our convoy were destroyed,” he said.
NAN reports that journalists were later conducted round some damaged vehicles and also visited the home of the deceased as well as  the injured at Offa General Hospital.
But Mallam Ibrahim Bolajoko, the PDP Ward Chairman in Ojoku, however, denied the claim by the Ashiru campaign team, alleging that it was  APC thugs that attacked  their supporters.
“ It was APC thugs that attacked our supporters who were sitting in front of the palace and seven of our members who were critically injured are currently receiving treatment,’’ he said.
DSP Ajayi Okasanmi,  the police spokesperson in the state, who confirmed the death of one person and several injured, said the situation had been put under control.
He, however, said that investigation was already ongoing.
“The command received with astonishment the reported attack on Arch Lola Ashiru, the APC Senatorial candidate for Kwara South and the Police Commissioner, Kayode Egbetokun, dispatched a team of policemen to the area.
“The team successfully brought the situation under control, rescued the candidate unhurt and arrested suspects who were actively involved in the attack.
“Manhunt for the remaining fleeing suspects had since begun while discreet investigation into  the incident is ongoing,” he said.