The Chairman of Owo Native Authorities Space of Ondo State, Mr. Tope Omolayo, was on Monday allegedly assaulted by suspected thugs following an undisclosed dispute.
Omolayo, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, had earlier been suspended by councillors over allegations of gross misconduct, with tensions reportedly persisting between him and members of the council.
The incident occurred when the embattled chairman returned to the council secretariat after about six months of suspension in an try and resume duties.
Eyewitnesses mentioned suspected thugs stormed the premises to cease him from getting access to his workplace, resulting in a confrontation that escalated into violence.
“They beat him mercilessly, tore his garments and left him virtually bare. Your complete secretariat was thrown into chaos as individuals ran for security whereas the attackers fired pictures into the air,” an eyewitness recounted.
Reacting to the event, the Police Public Relations Officer within the state, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed that safety personnel have been promptly deployed to the scene to revive order.
Jimoh added that investigations had commenced to determine the reason for the incident and guarantee these accountable are dropped at justice.