MALACHY UDENDU, Abuja and DELE OGUNYEMI, Ibadan

Similarly, police have arrested two persons for allegedly masterminding the bloody clash which erupted Saturday outside the Akure Township stadium, Ondo State venue of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South West presidential campaign rally.

Daily Champion recalls that supporters of Ladoja and Alao-Akala had engaged themselves in a fierce battle after the latter was presented with the PDP governorship flag for Oyo Stage by the party’s national chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali.

Alao-Akala’s supporters we learnt rushed out of the stadium to celebrate his triumph over Ladoja who was believed to be eyeing the PDP governorship ticket in Oyo.

This, according to eye-witness angered Ladoja’s supporters resulting to a confrontation with both parties using dangerous weapons including guns.

Like wildfire, the news of the Akure bloody clash spread to Ibadan resulting in fear of a possible spill over which instantly enveloped the nooks and crannies of the Oyo State capital.

Notable areas of Ibadan that witnessed disturbances between 7.30p.m and 11.45p.m on Saturday included Iwo Road , Agodi Gate, Oje Market ,along Ibadan/Lagos Expressway, Olomi , Academy and Challenge as well as Agodi end of the state Government House where some political hoodlums unleashed terror on innocent citizens.

Many commuters along the routes were also stranded, particularly those passing through Ibadan, who were forced to terminate their journey as they took refuge at the nearest petrol stations , police stations and homes of relations as political thugs threatened to rob or even kill them.

But most of the political thugs on both sides, on their arrival in Ibadan , went on driving recklessly around major roads and streets in the city , shooting sporadically into the air as well as brandishing cutlasses for over four hours so as to create fears in the passers-by and the residents of the areas where they were passing before the police succeeded in quelling the onslaught .

In area likes Iwo road, Agodi gate and Ife road, it was shooting galore for hours late Saturday as the thugs took over some of the areas forcing commercial and private vehicles to keep off the roads for fear of attacks by the thugs as they were busy breaking bottles on major roads in the town.

To forestall a breakdown of law and order in the metropolis, armed soldiers were quickly drafted from the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ojoo who were sighted mounting surveillance at some trouble-spot areas in Ibadan monitoring both human and vehicular movements.

This was in addition to the presence of some fierce-looking armed mobile policemen who were seen parading strategic areas of the metropolis as early as 5.00 on Sunday..

Security was unusually beefed up around the Agodi Government House of both Governor Ladoja and Otunba Alao-Akala who returned to Ibadan on Sunday and not Saturday as earlier scheduled. While Governor Ladoja reportedly returned to Ibadan via the Akure/Ilesa Road, his deputy was said to have travelled down to Ibadan enroute Osogbo, Ogbomoso, Ejigbo.

While there were serious threats from both supporters that they were ready to sacrifice themselves for the life of their masters, no fewer than 60 armed soldiers were seen at the Iwo road end of the Ibadan-Ife expressway keeping vigil with a view to countering any violence that might erupt from any side.

Meanwhile police yesterday two persons have been arrested for allegedly masterminding the clash that erupted Akure.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Commissioner of Police Haz Iwendi, the two suspects, whose identities were kept secret by the police were suspected to have been drafted to cause the mayhem from the government house, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Iwendi in a statement he distributed to media houses stated that "These miscreants fatally shot two persons, one identified from Lagos and the other from Oyo.

"The two miscreants were arrested and 34 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

"A vehicle with registration number Pilot 1 Oyo that was found at the scene was impounded. When the vehicle was searched, four prohibited firearms and 131 rounds of live cartridges were recovered he stated.

The police spokesman noted further that so far, six suspects were undergoing interrogation in connection with the incident but he refused to disclose whether or not they have any relationship with the Oyo State government house since an alleged pilot vehicle belonging to the government was allegedly recovered from the scene.