From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Hoodlums have attacked the Amuludun FM of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan National Station, at Moniya, the headquarters of Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The attack on the federal facility was described as a reprisal against Soludero Hunters that engaged some hoodlums in Shasha area of Ibadan on Friday.
The hoodlums reportedly regrouped and launched an attack against the perceived base of the Soludero Hunters within the premises of Amuludun FM.
A staff of FRCN, who did not want his name mentioned in print, said preliminary investigation by security agents revealed that sometime last week, one AK-47 rifle was recovered by Soludero Hunters from some suspected armed robbers and handed over it to th police.
He said further investigation led to the hideouts of the alleged criminals, which culminated into shootout with the hoodlums.
The hoodlums now planned a reprisal on targeted facilities. The cutlass, matchets and so on that they used to attack Amuludun FM, they seized them from shops around the premises of Amuludun.
“Thereafter, they went to Akinyele Local Government secretariat and Tipper Garage. At Amuludun FM, four cars had their wind shields, side glasses, number plates and so on destroyed. It’s in millions. Security post glasses, reception and engineering front glasses were also damaged. But the premises has been secured by the presence of Operation Burst, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident, but said the attack was not particularly targeted at Amuludun FM, saying sequel to the face-off between members  of Soludero, a local vigilante group and some criminal elements around Sasa Area, while on routine patrol, on Saturday July 31, 2021, at about 4a.m., during which one person identified as Kabati, “a member of the criminal gang sustained gunshot injuries and was confirmed dead at the hospital.
“Consequent upon this, the hoodlums in their numbers stormed the Soludero presumed office, located at the premises of the Federal Radio Coporation of Nigeria, Amuludun 99.1 FM, Moniya Ibadan in a bid to launch a reprisal attack.
“Preliminary investigation gathered from  an on-the-spot assessment showed that, upon the arrival of the hoodlums, they became agitated as none of their targets was on sight.
“Consequently, windscreens and glasses of four vehicles, parked in the premises, were broken along with the glass door at the entrance of the media outfit, inferring that the attack was not targeted directly at the media outfit but members of the vigilante group.
“Whil assuring all and sundry that the perpetrators of this dastardly act would be made to face justice, the Commisioner of Police, Oyo State  Command, Ngozi Onadeko, wishes to state that it is important to immediately report such occurrences as the above to the police for immediate intervention. Meanwhile investigations are ongoing and developments would be communicated accordingly.”