The Osun State Government has described Saturday’s attack on Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s convoy as a “street coup to take out the governor”.
The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode said this in a statement in reaction to the incident.
However, she was silent on reports that two persons were killed during the attack.
Egbemode explained that there was an attempt on the life of the governor while he was addressing EndSARS protesters at Olaiya junction in the state capital, Osogbo.
Oyetola was speaking with the youths when some persons began to hurl stones at his vehicle and gunshots rent the air.
He was immediately escorted off the scene by security agents and armed men shot at protesters, killing two.
Reacting, Egbemode, who said she was at the scene explained that Governor Oyetola “had joined protesters in the walk from Alekuwodo area to Olaiya junction, singing with them and promising them that their demands will be looked into, and that he supported how their peaceful agitations which is a part of democratic process.”
She added that while the governor was still addressing the youths, the armed men and women started shooting and hurled stones at the governor’s car.
According to her, the attack was beyond the #EndSARS protest, but a premeditated attempt to take the governor down.
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“This was assassination attempt. This was certainly beyond the #EndSARS protest. The people who launched the attack were not protesters at all.
“Protests have been going on in the State for some days now, and there had been no attack on any government official since the beginning of the protest.
“However, today’s attack changed the narrative. It was not a spontaneous attempt, the attackers had it all planned. They had guns and other weapons. In fact, it was a woman who smashed the windscreen of the vehicle we were in.
“It is really sad that these people infiltrated the ranks of the peaceful protesters and took advantage of the Governor’s walk with the youths to execute their sinister intentions.
“It was simply a street coup to take out the Governor, his Deputy and the Secretary to the State Government, all of whom were exposed during the protest and had to be smuggled into vehicles when the attack was launched,” Egbemode said.
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