A Police officer attached to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State, has been allegedly feared killed during a clash that erupted between the security operatives and some suspected Yahoo Boys.
The incident that took place at Moniya Motor Park in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the State, New Telegraph gathered, left many people injured as they scampered for safety while the policemen in their vehicle were chasing the car of the Yahoo Boys.
According to eyewitnesses, there were two accounts of the incident. One said that the police officer mistakenly fired himself and got injured while another version claimed that the officer was stoned but was later conveyed to an undisclosed hospital.
It was gathered that the policemen who mounted a road block along Ijaye-Iseyin Road had attempted to search the car of the Yahoo Boys but they fled and the officers started pursuing them. Upon pursuing them to Moniya Garage area, traffic held the Yahoo Boys up and in the process, as they were trying to escape, “a police man shot at them but his shot was misfired causing him serious injury. The injured police officer has been rushed to an undisclosed hospital for the treatment”, the source who preferred anonymity, claimed.
Another eye witness account said that while the policemen were chasing the Yahoo Boys into the garage, a stine was hurled at the policeman, who eventually got injured and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital. The Yahoo Boys were however said to have escaped from the scene.
The eye witness claimed that while the officers were returning to their office, several gun shots and tear gas canisters were fired into air to scare on lookers. “The Operation Burst patrol officers and police officers from the police command headquarters, Eleyele, were later deployed to the scene to avoid any breakdown of law and order.
As at the time of filing this report, economic and vehicular activities at Moniya Garage, Moniya Butchers Market and Moniya Junction were grounded as shops and kiosks in and around the place were locked. The Moniya-Ijaye-Iseyin Road was deserted.
Efforts made to speak with the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Adewale Osifeso (SP) for confirmation and details of the incident proved abortive as he did not pick calls made to his phone numbers. A short message sent had also not been replied to.