The Lagos State Police Command last night declared a National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) member, Mustapha Adekunle (a.k.a. Seigo), wanted for attempting to disrupt the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally.
Two suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, were said to have been arrested.
A statement by the Lagos Police Command spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), alleged that Adekunle came to the rally with a group of people who were identified at the entrance as party supporters.
Oti said: “However, at the tail end of the event, Seigo and his group, for a reason yet to be determined, violently engaged other supporters of the party. In the ensuing melee, MC Oluomo, another NURTW chieftain, was stabbed and was rushed to EKO Hospital where he is currently recuperating while two other victims of the attack were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for treatment. The crisis was quickly contained by policemen at the venue.
“It will be recalled that a few hours before the rally started, the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edga, held a meeting with the leaders of the NURTW and the Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) and other affiliate groups where all the parties agreed to eschew violence before, during and after the electioneering.
“It was therefore surprising that a prominent member of NURTW would attempt to violently disrupt a peaceful political rally.
“In view of the development, the Command wishes to encourage members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Seigo, to report such at a nearest police station.”
Oti said two persons had been arrested in connection with the incident.
But Adekunle described the police action as a “frame-up.”
He said: “I am a member of the APC. I and MC Oluomo have been following Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu since he was in Alliance for Democracy (AD). How could the police say I attempted to destroy a rally organised by our party?
“I have been on the ground before the NURTW State Chairman, Tajudeen Agbede and his boys arrived at the venue. We were the one that ushered in Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s running mate, Obafemi Hamzat, when he arrived. How could I have attempted to disrupt the rally? I think this is a ploy to tarnish my image and frame me up. It is unfortunate.”
He urged the police to beam its searchlight on the activities of the NURTW chairman and his loyalists at the rally ground.
“Agbede was there when his boys led by Wole Promise stabbed MC Oluomo in the head and body. He should be quizzed and asked to produce those who stabbed Oluomo. He knows all of them. They are the people that wanted to disrupt the rally,” he said.
