The police command in Osun has accused security escort of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, of recklessly firing gunshots to terrorise Osun residents.

The spokeswoman for the police, SP Yemisi Opalola, in a statement on Monday in Osogbo, said the minister’s escort shot into the air without provocation, causing people to run for their lives.

“Today, Monday, at about 5:40 p.m , the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola was moving in convoy of personnel of NSCDC, Correctional Service, Immigration, as well as some unidentified armed people, suspected to be political thugs along Orisumbare/MFS Road, Osogbo,” explained the police statement.

It added, “Suddenly, some of the security escorts of the minister started shooting sporadically into the air without any provocation nor attack, thereby causing members of the public to scramble for their safety. Thirteen empty shells of G-3, assault and AK-37 rifle were recovered along the road after the minister’s departure.”

Ms Opalola, however, disclosed that “no casualty” recorded.

According to her, the police report of the incident was sketchy, pointing out that a full report would be made available at the end of a police investigation.

The police mentioned that the situation was under “close monitoring and normalcy has returned.”

The publicity secretary of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Abiodun Agboola, had in a statement alleged that Mr Aregbesola’s convoy was attacked by armed political thugs at Orisunmibare.

“Today’s attempt on the life of the minister is a confirmation that Osun is no longer a safe state. We can only pray that the Almighty would keep the good people of Osun and her well wishers safe,” claimed Mr Agboola.

(NAN)