GANG WAR IN OYO: TOKYO'S FILLING STATION ATTACKED

Last Thursday assassination of Alhaji Lateef Salako (a.k.a Eleweomo) may have revived the gang war between factions of the proscribed Oyo State chapter of the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) as loyalists of the slain factional leader of the union on Sunday evening attacked a filling station owned by the rival Alhaji, Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a Tokyo) in Omowunmi Olorunsogo area of Ibadan, the state capital.

The mob, numbering about 20, were allegedly led by the deputy to the murdered union leader, Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a Auxillary) and Azeez Ejeoto.

Three attendants working at the filling station and four customers, who were buying petrol were injured, while property worth N4 million were vandalised by the attackers, who, reportedly stormed the premises of Bus-Lakson Petroleum Nigeria Limited in two vehicles, armed with dangerous weapons including guns, cutlasses and knives, around 5.30 p.m. The attack was apparently in reprisal of the killing of Eleweomo, who, before his death had battled Tokyo over the leadership of the union.

Manager of the filling station, Kunle Agboola, told reporters yesterday that Salako's supporters invaded the petrol station in a Toyota Camry car and a bus and started shooting into the air, scaring customers away. One of them reportedly asked one of the attendants of the whereabouts of Tokyo. When the attendant could not give them a satisfactory answer, the hoodlums started smashing everything in sight, including the five fuel pumps and the office complex of the filling station, wounding the attendant and two other workers in the process, Agboola said.

Daily Sun learnt that they also carted away unspecified amount of money from the manager. The attack, the manager said, lasted about 30 minutes. Conducting journalists round the damaged property yesterday, Agboola said Tokyo was the main target of the attackers, as according to him, they had assumed the NURTW boss normally visit the filling station on Sunday evenings.

Agboola said the incident had been reported at the Idi-Aro Police Station, with the police promptly providing security at the filling station.

When Daily Sun visited the place yesterday, the entire area was deserted.