Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
Scores were injured and several vehicles smashed in Oyo, Oyo State, on Monday, following a clash among hoodlums.
The incident started on Sunday night when the hoodlums were extorting money from residents.
Mostly affected were people living in Ilaka, Oke Apo, Akesan and Adesin.
“It is an annual ritual for these thugs to come here during New Year celebration to extort money from us. If you don’t have money to give them, it is only God who will save you. What they did this year is just terrible”, said one of the residents.
The thugs were armed with cutlasses, broken bottles and charms and forced many residents to part with money to escape injury.
Many residents, who did not give them money, were injured. Some had been admitted in various hospitals of the ancient town.
Freedom Online learned that the sharing of the money led to a big crisis among the hoodlums on Monday morning.
Two groups emerged from the misunderstanding and they started fighting, leading to the smashing of several vehicles.
Some of the thugs were seriously injured.
The popular Akesan Market was immediately locked to avoid looting.
Policemen from the four divisional police
commands in Oyo town, led by the Area Commander, Oyeleye Oyediran, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), quickly moved to the scene and 21 of the thugs were arrested.
