People in a clash in Ibadan

The scene

A commercial driver identified as Mr Taiwo Adeagbo, was mortally wounded in Ibadan, on Thursday, during a clash between some of the drivers and officials of the traffic enforcement squad of Ibadan North East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The incident occurred close to the popular Araromi Market at Agodi-Gate area shortly after the weekly two-hour environmental sanitation exercise.

Although the cause of the skirmish could not be established, eyewitness accounts said the clash started after an altercation between one of the council officials and Adeagbo, following which the latter was said to have been hit on his manhood and fainted immediately.

Vexed, other drivers supported by some of the spare parts traders, launched a reprisal attack on the council official and reportedly stabbed him with broken bottles, leaving him with several head wounds.

The driver was said to have been admitted at the University College Hospital,  Ibadan where he was said to be responding to treatment as of press time.

Another set of eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that it was the traffic personnel, a member of the YES-O cadet attached to the environmental, a claim the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Lowo Obisesan dismissed as untrue.

“I heard the rumour and because we are a responsible government, I made some contacts. What I gathered is quite different from the claim you just told me about.  I called the Operation Burst leader who told me that some hoodlums were creating problem at Gate Area and that his men had gone there to put everything in order.”


“No YES-O cadets were involved at all. If it was really a serious matter, it would have been brought to my notice immediately.There are bad people who do not want us to succeed and they have taken to fabricating untrue stories. Their intention is to confuse people and give this government a bad name. They will not succeed because truth will prevail over falsehood.

“We shall not be discouraged by the antics of these elements. Most people in the state agree that we are doing a good thing and we are pleased with that,” he said.