Thugs shoot police officer, one other in Ondo

Police in Ondo have confirmed that one of his officers was shot by suspected thugs during Saturday’s House of Assembly election in the state.

Peoples Gazette had earlier reported that an officer drafted to Idanre Local Council Area of the State to maintain peace in one of the Polling Units was hit by a bullet, during a violent clash between armed political thugs.

The policeman was shot in his right leg.

The officer, whose identity was not revealed, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he’s currently being administered treatment.

Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the police Spokesperson in Ondo, confirmed the incident in a short message forwarded to crime reporters in Akure.

Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya said the policeman and “a young man was hit by the stray bullet” during the fracas in Idanre.

She added that the police has arrested a suspect involved in the shooting incident and also recovered a gun from him.

“The suspect involved in the shooting at Idanre has been arrested while a pump action with 2 live cartridges was recovered,” her terse obtained by The Gazette simply stated.

The incident occurred amid a low turnout of voters in the weekend House of Assembly election exercise.

A total of 206 candidates jostling for 26 seats in the State House of Assembly took part in the election on Saturday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that 17 political parties are participating in the election.

The Assembly election is majorly between the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).