The family of deceased politician, Akinlabi Akinnaso Akinfolarin, allegedly murdered by a soldier in Idanre, Ondo State, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Centre, is demanding justice.
Festus Akingbaso, the lawmaker representing Idanre constituency at the state House of Assembly, who is also the Ifedrore/Idanre federal constituency, House of Representatives member-elect has joined his voice, seeking justice, and stressed that the case must not be swept under the carpet.
According to reports on some online media, the deceased was allegedly shot dead by a security operative during fisticuffs at INEC Collation Centre at Owena Ayetoro in Idanre, Ondo State.
The wife of the deceased, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Akinfolarin has dismissed claims of the reports, stressing that her late husband wasn’t a miscreant but was gruesome killed in broad daylight.
She said, “My husband was a peace-loving man that harboured no grudges against anybody. Before his demise, we talked and he said everything was okay, but surprisingly, the next call I received was that he has been killed by a soldier.”
It was gathered that the deceased had accompanied the lawmaker to the INEC Collation Centre to collect his Certificate of Return where he met his untimely death.
An eyewitness, Oluwalana Oluwaseun, confirmed that the deceased was allegedly shot by the soldier for no reason.
He countered the claims of the online reports, saying he was not shot on grounds of dragging or struggling with the military personnel.
Oluwalana noted that the deceased was standing far off the Collation Centre when the soldier came to ask everyone to move away from the spot. But for a reason best known to the soldiers, they descended on the deceased, beating him, and eventually, a young soldier among them shot him dead.
He said: “The deceased was at a far distance away from the Collation Centre when the Army came asking everyone to move, before they knew what’s happening, they began to beat him and the next was shooting from one young soldier.”
Consequently, the federal lawmaker-elect, Akingbaso stated that the matter must not be dismissed as just one of the casualties of the 2023 elections.
While condemning the killing, the lawmaker confirmed that the deceased accompanied him to the INEC Collation Centre to collect his Certificate of Return.
He called on all security agencies, particularly the police, to investigate the incident and unravel those behind the occurrence.
According to Akingbaso, the deceased was his strong supporter, and appealed to the people of the community to remain calm and not take the law into their hands.
- FG moves to secure natural resources, as presidential committee meets service chiefs - January 25, 2024
- Kogi govt pays JAMB registration fees for 15,033 public school students - January 24, 2024
- Edo Guber: APC debunks aspirants screening disqualification rumours - January 24, 2024