Police arrest 19 over PDP congress in Kwara

The Kwara State Police Command yesterday said 19 people are currently in its custody in connection with Monday’s violence that erupted during the ward congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The state Commissioner of Police, Ambrose Aisabo, in an interview with Daily Trust, said the police equally recovered some arms and ammunition during the pandemonium that broke out at Ajikobi and Sango area of Ilorin.

The exercise meant to elect executive members of the party at ward level started peacefully across the state on Monday, but later turned violent owing to disagreement among factional members of the party over sharing of positions, it was gathered.

The commissioner however said contrary to reports that three people died in the violence, only one death could be confirmed.

“We were able to arrest the situation. We have 19 people in our custody and we recovered some arms and ammunition. Those arrested are undergoing interrogation”, he said.

Our correspondent reports that there was shooting at Okekere in Ajikobi ward of Ilorin-west Local Government Area of the state and Sango in Ilorin-east.

Daily Trust learnt that the development created tension within the state capital as many residents were forced to remain indoors in Omoda and Sango areas.

A PDP member confirmed to our correspondent that key wards where the congress could not take place because of violence included Ajikobi, Ojuekun, Alanamu, Ogidi wards all in Ilorin-west and Sango in Ilorin-east.

“We insisted that the positions should be equally shared between the factions but one group insisted on producing most of the officers”, added the source.

The interim PDP spokesman in the state, Alhaji Mariam Al-Hassan, could not be reached for comments yesterday as his phone was switched off.

He had on Monday expressed disappointment over the conduct of party members even as he urged loyal members of the party not to lose hope, but remain steadfast in the cause to liberate the state.