Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi and his Youth and Sports Counterpart, Mr Saka Yusuf Ogunleye have narrated how scores supporters and officials of Osun United of Osogbo unleashed mayhem on the players, officials and supporters Sunshine Stars of Akure after a Federation Cup duel at Ijebu-Ode Sports Stadium last Saturday. Addressing journalists at the Cocoa Cinference , Governors Office in Akure, Mr. Saka Yusuf Ogunkeye said: The first leg last Wednesday at Osogbo had ended 1-0 in favour of the Osun United. The return leg was played at our adopted home Ijebu-Ode Sports Stadium. The first half ended goaless. In the second half, we opened scoring and they equalised. Thereafter, Sunshine Stars added two goals to end the match 3-1, thereby securing a ticket to semi final with 3-2 aggregate. Trouble started immediately after the center referee blew the final whistle as our entire entourage came under attack from our opponents with sticks, cudgels, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons used to attack our people. Scores suffered various degrees of injuries, necessitating taking many to the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital for treatment. Two of those who went through the ugly experience are here with us. The Stare government had to bring all the injured here to Akure for further treatment. The Commissioner added that the attackers were in the mould of those who came to Akure last week to disrupt the Restructuring Parley. 'From what we deduced, this was a premeditated attack. On reflection, these army of invaders started making their way into the supporters stands in hundreds towards the tail end of the game, brandishing cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. We want to put it on record that Ondo State government and its people have no problem with the State of Osun. The people of Osun should stop fomenting trouble against Ondo.' Shedding more light on what transpired at IjebuOde, the Team Manager of Sunshine Stars, Mr. Aborowa Gabriel said the Osun United entourage came to Ijebu Ode with the mission of causing trouble and inflicting injury on the Ondo State team, adding that the mayhem was in the offing during the ealier duel . 'Last Wednesday, at Osogbo during the first leg, as the match dragged on with no goal, the supporters of the home team were talking about dealing with us if they did not win the match. We sensed danger at Ijebu Ode when over 35 buses of various belonging to the State of Osun Ministries, Departments and Agencies loaded with people started arriving the match venue. The occupants of these buses were the ones who trooped into the football pitch to waylay our plsyers, officials and supporters. These attackers overwhelmed the security personnel that were in the stadium. It took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to quell what could have been an uglier scenario. I had to quickly move my car to a safe location in order not to get it damaged. After the whole mayhem had subsided, I was invited to the police station where scores of those arrested by the military were transfered to identify our people among them. On checking them, I found out that they were strangers imported from Osun.'
Sunday Ajibola, Press Officer, Ministry of Information.
