Ebun Francis|
The Ekiti state police command said on Friday that it has arrested the politician who masterminded the shooting of Ekiti state APC chieftain and former member of the house of representative, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele.
Bamidele was shot on Friday at the venue of the reception organised for former Minister of solid minerals and Ekiti state governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress Party.
Adeyemi Albert Asemola, the Ekiti police spokesman, told newsmen that the politician, who “has also been arrested,” conspired with the policeman to shoot Bamidele.
According to him, the policeman was posted to a bank in Lagos but travelled to Ekiti for an “illegal duty”.
“At about 17:00 hours, a policeman who accidentally shot Opeyemi Bamidele and one other has been arrested. The policeman is in our custody now,” he said.
“He is attached to 20 police mobile force (PMF) in Ikeja Lagos. He left where he was posted on bank guard duty somewhere in Ikeja for illegal duty in Ekiti state.
“A politician conspired with the policeman and removed him from where he was posted in Lagos and both came to Ekiti for unofficial reasons. The politician has also been arrested.
“The victims of the accidental discharge are currently responding to treatment at the hospital, and also the policeman who was mobbed is also responding to treatment in our protective custody.”
Asemola, however, refused to disclose the identity of the politician as investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti has accused governor Fayose’s government of being responsible for the shooting of Opeyemi Bamidele.
Taiwo Olatunbosun, Ekiti APC publicity secretary, in a statement, said governor Ayodele Fayose spearheaded the attack.
The statement read, “It was a smooth ride from Akure Airport to Ikere-Ekiti where thousands of supporters came out to give him a rousing welcome.”
“Ikere-Ekiti journey to Ado-Ekiti, a distance of about nine kilometres, lasted two hours in a heavy traffic that was punctuated by four gunmen suspected to be agents of the state government who strategically positioned themselves at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for the attack.
“They fired gunshots aimed at Fayemi but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target.”