Admin AdminThree people reportedly wounded as gunfire disrupts campaign procession days before the Osun governorship election.
ILESA, OSUN STATE — Fear and uncertainty have gripped parts of Ilesa after gunfire disrupted an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign procession on Saturday, leaving at least three people injured, including a teenage boy.
The incident occurred around the Isokun area of Ilesa as APC supporters were taking part in a street campaign ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election.
According to the Osun State Police Command, three people were confirmed injured and taken to different hospitals for treatment. One of the victims was identified by Punch as a 14-year-old boy who was reportedly hit by a stray bullet while at his mother’s shop near the scene.
The violence reportedly brought the campaign to an abrupt halt as supporters fled the area in confusion.
Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi said investigators recovered spent cartridges and other items from the scene. He added that an Amotekun operative and another individual were taken into custody as part of the investigation.
The incident has since triggered a political blame game.
The APC campaign team accused individuals associated with the security operation of disrupting its procession, while supporters of the Accord Party offered a different account, alleging that violence and destruction were also carried out by APC supporters.
The competing claims have heightened concern in the state, where political parties are entering the final stretch of campaigning before Saturday’s governorship election.
The situation has also raised fresh questions about the safety of residents, supporters and bystanders during political activities.
For many residents of Ilesa, however, the political arguments have taken a back seat to a more immediate concern: how a campaign meant to win votes became an incident that left a young person injured.
The police have said investigations are continuing, while those involved in the incident are expected to provide information that could help establish exactly how the shooting occurred and who was responsible.
As political campaigns continue across Osun, the Ilesa incident has added to growing calls for restraint from political parties, candidates and their supporters.
With the election only days away, residents are increasingly demanding that political competition remain peaceful and that ordinary citizens are not caught in the middle of campaign-related violence.
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