Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State was on Monday thrown into turmoil following the invasion of the council secretariat by hoodlums, who attacked and stripped the council chairman, Tope Omolayo, after he resumed duty following the expiration of his six-month suspension.
With official activities disrupted during the invasion, workers ran in various directions as the armed hoodlums stormed the secretariat in large numbers.
The chairman was suspended about six months ago by the legislative council of the local government following political and administrative disagreements.
While narrating the incident, a source said the chairman had barely settled in when the attackers arrived and descended on him, beating him and tearing his clothes in the process.
“The moment he arrived, they attacked him. He was beaten and his clothes were torn. People ran in different directions as the situation worsened. It felt like a war zone. Everyone ran for cover,” the source said.
There were also claims from some witnesses that the attackers made references to authority from the Olowo of Owo during the confrontation, although this could not be independently verified.
However, an official from the palace, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied any involvement of the traditional institution in the incident, urging that the palace should not be associated with the attack. No formal statement had been issued by the palace at the time of filing this report.
Some of the chairman’s supporters queried the legality of the suspension process, alleging irregularities in official communication and documentation.
Speaking on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said the command swiftly responded by deploying personnel to the secretariat to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
