OPC and Police clash at Idimu, five arrested

There was pandemonium at the Idimu area of Lagos State on Tuesday when suspected members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress and some officials of the Nigeria Police Force clashed.

Some policemen were said to have been wounded in the fracas which lasted for over 20 minutes.

Eyewitnesses told PUNCH Metro that the OPC members in a number of buses had passed through the area on their way to Agege.

It was learnt that when the convoy got to Car wash bus stop, there was a traffic hold-up. The OPC vehicles subsequently maneuvered and drove against the traffic.

PUNCH Metro gathered that some policemen directing the traffic challenged the OPC members, which led to the altercation.

A fresh team of policemen from the Idimu Police Division later arrived at the scene after the overwhelmed policemen had radioed for backup. Five persons were arrested, while guns were recovered after the OPC members were eventually dislodged from the area.

Those arrested have been identified as Paul Adeola, Kemi Ajayi, Sunday Ogunbiyi, Kazeem Oloyede and Augustine Ekufeze.

There was no response from the OPC leader,  Dr. Frederick Fasheun, despite repeated calls and text messages to his phone.

However, a factional leader of the group, Mr. Gani Adams, denied the involvement of his faction in the fracas.

He said, “It is the Fasheun-led faction that was involved in the fight with the police. As I speak to you, we are presently holding our executive meeting at Abule-Ado in my house.

“Fasheun’s faction was on their way to Agege for the inauguration of the Unity Party of Nigeria when they confronted the police.”

Police spokesperson for the state, Ngozi Braide, said, “It happened at 11.30am. Some 300 members, masquerading as OPC members attacked our men at Car wash bus stop. The DPO led a team of policemen to the scene and dislodged them and arrested five persons.

“One double-barreled  gun, one pump action rifle, one locally made pistol, two cutlasses, one dagger, OPC banners, two Volkswagen buses marked X7 31 GGE; XT 29 FKJ; one Nissan saloon car marked DU 721 GGE; and unregistered Toyota Camry were recovered from them.”

Culled from Punch