A violent clash between some individuals suspected to be members of the Oodua Peoples Congress and motorcycle riders on Thursday created tension in the Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
While some sources said the clash was in reaction to the death of a motorcycle ticketing officer, others said the incident had its roots in criminal tendencies.
It took the intervention of men of the Rapid Response Squad of the Ekiti State Police Command to restore sanity to the area.
Sources said the opposing groups brandished weapons such as cutlasses and knives, among others while the crisis lasted in the early hours
A source said, “The motorcycle riders were accusing the OPC of responsibility for the death of a motorcycle ticketing officer, who they said was normally stationed at the OPC Office in the area. That is what we learnt is the cause of the crisis.
“Some people have been injured in the process, but I cannot say the number, it was when the police arrived at the scene that normalcy was restored to the area. The police have even made some arrests in connection with the incident,” she said.
But another said, “One cannot really say what is happening. It is their ploy to commit crimes as usual. That is what they do in an atmosphere of confusion like this”.
In his reaction on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, a Superintendent of Police, said the command acted on a distress call from the area.
Abutu stated in a text message, “Today, being 09/01/2025 at about 11:20 hours, the command received a distress call that some hoodlums were attacking and robbing innocent people in the Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti.
“The operatives of the RRS were deployed to the area where six of the suspects were arrested.
“They are currently undergoing investigation. Effort is underway to arrest other fleeing members of the gang,” the PPRO stated.
