By OLA AJAYI

IBADAN – LIKE a recurring decimal, the blood-thirsty factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Oyo State branch clashed again in Ibadan,  a clash that started  Saturday night,  into the wee hours of Sunday.

Apart from those that reportedly died in the bloody clash involving the factions of the Chairman, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola a.k.a Tokyo and Alhaji Mukaila a.k.a Auxiliary, Vanguard gathered that many commuters waiting for buses at the Iwo Road end of the city were caught in the melee that lasted five hours.

Most of them are now lying seriously injured at the University College Hospital, Ibadan where they are currently receiving treatment.

According to an unconfirmed report, 20 people were said to have lost their lives when the faction loyal to the former Governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala attempted to retrieve all the vehicles that were allegedly seized by Tokyo’s supporters during an earlier clash that erupted a fortnight ago.

Lateef Akinsola, aka, Tokyo... NURTW factional leader

But some people who escaped from the crisis-ridden motor park said they saw no fewer than 10 bodies that littered the road after the violence that started around 11. 45pm on Saturday.

It was also gathered that about 50 shops were either razed or looted by miscreants who capitalized on the chaotic situation.

Detailed narration by an eye witness claimed that 30 shops were burnt down while about 30 others were  looted by the hoodlums.

According to the source, the loyalists of Auxiliary stormed the Iwo road motor park,  Saturday night,  allegedly shooting to scare other factions away from the park which had been taken over by Tokyo’s boys .

To quell the riot, the state Police command has dispatched about 50 armed men to the area with patrol vehicles and four  Armoured Personnel Carriers.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Olatunji Ajimuda confirmed the clash but did not confirm the number of  casualties. He said some suspects had been arrested in connection with the mayhem.

The union had been enmeshed in crises during the administration of Chief Akala which resulted in the proscription of the union by the former governor. He removed the proscription order few days to the end of his tenure.