Nigeria Content Online

Twenty youth were
hospitalised on Wednesday, following a clash between two factions of
the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Yagba west local
government area of Kogi State.

About 10 vehicles
were destroyed during the violence, which involved the use of dangerous
weapons such as guns, machetes, and broken bottles.

The incident was
the climax of the protracted crises between Samuel Aro, a member of the
House of Representatives who is eyeing a second term, and lawmakers
opposed to his ambition including Ropo Asala, the chairman of the
council, and Rinde Asagun, a special adviser to the state governor.

On Wednesday, the
faction opposed to Mr. Aro’s second term bid, decided to hold a
procession rally in response to a similar rally he held two days
earlier. According to one witness, the procession began peacefully. The
supporters sang, danced, and displayed posters of Smart Adeyemi and
Folorunsho Daniyan, Mr. Aro’s main opponents in the race for the House
of Representatives.

Eyewitnesses said
trouble started when a motorcade conveying supporters was ambushed in
Odo-Eri, Mr. Aro’s hometown, along the Kabba-Ilorin Road. The 35 cars
were returning from Egbe, another town in the council area.

The attackers began
by smashing car windscreens and windows after which they descended on
the occupants using machetes, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons,
said one witness.

“We were completely
taken unawares and we were unprepared because our leaders had told us
to go about the rally peacefully,” one of the victims said. “It would
have been bloody if we prepared for them,” he said.

Confirming the
incident, state police commissioner, Abdullahi Magaji, said the command
would arrest, detain, and prosecute the perpetrators of the violence,
no matter how highly-placed in the society.

“The thugs who were recruited to carry out this violence will be treated as armed robbers,” he said.