The police have arrested a suspect after the celebration of a local festival turned bloody in Ondo State.
The suspect, Moses Adeyemo, who is a chief in the community, was alleged to have shot two persons in the incident on Wednesday at Ogbagi in Akoko North West Local Government Area of the state.
As of Saturday, the victims were still receiving treatment at the hospital.
The shooting occurred during the celebration of the traditional Ajagbo festival in the community.
Participants in the festival usually march round the community singing to reprimand indigenes deemed to have breached the community’s social code.
However, on Wednesday, the chanting participants got a violent rebuff at the house of Mr Adeyemo.
Witnesses said the angry chief fired gunshots to chase away the group, leaving two, identified as Eniola Adewunmi and Timilehin Ogunyemi, injured.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Adewumi said he had been told that one of his legs may be amputated.
He said he had spent over N300,000 to remove pellets from his ankle.
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His wife, Olatunde, said the family had run out of fund to meet Mr Adewunmi’s hospital bill.
A youth leader at Ogbagi, Kehinde Oyeyemi, expressed sadness that the festival, which he noted had been marked in the community since ancient times, turned bloody this year.
He called for thorough investigation into the incident and alleged indiscriminate use of fire arms in villages across Ondo State.
The police spokesperson in the state, Funmi Odunlami-Omisanya, confirmed the shooting incident.
She said the suspect, Mr Adeyemo, had been arrested and taken to Akure, the state capital, for further investigation.
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