Four injured in OPC, land speculators’ clash

No fewer than four persons were injured during a clash between some members of the O’odua People’s Congress and land speculators at Arepo, Ogun State, on Wednesday.

It was gathered that the clash began about 4:30pm when OPC members allegedly refused to vacate a field in the area for the land speculators to play football.

PUNCH Metro learnt that this infuriated the land speculators.

 An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Seun, said the problem would have been avoided if the OPC members had left the field.

 He claimed members of the OPC had earlier been informed that the they land speculators would be using the field yet they refused to vacate the field.

He said, “There have been football competitions for days on the field. So, we are supposed to have another match today.

“The OPC members were informed earlier but they dared the land speculators. They were told that there would be a football match on the field by 5pm still they continued their meeting. Since they refused to leave, the land speculators distracted the meeting. The development resulted in a fracas. Though nobody lost his/her life, four persons were seriously injured.”

But another resident, who craved anonymity, said the clash started when members of the OPC were having their meeting on the field which the land speculators claimed they had secured permission to use for their football competition.