A former chairman of a mechanic union, has beaten two panel beaters to pulp during a land dispute in Lagos.
The victims who went dumb afterwards claimed that charm was used on them.
A former chairman of Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association, Ayobo unit in Lagos State, has assaulted two panel beaters Matthew Idowu, and Sunday Olowolaiyemo, over a land dispute, leaving them dumb.
The incident happened on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in the Amule area of Ayobo, Lagos, when members of the association engaged in a fight over land.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the disagreement ensued between members of the union, when their leadership allocated the land to another member.
According to a witness, Peter Funsho, the present executive members of the union and their chairman went to inspect the land to officially hand it over to their member, but the ex-chairman reportedly led another group to the site, as the two parties engaged in an argument over rights to the land.
Funsho’s words, “The former chairman said no construction would be done on the land because he still had authority over it.
“A panel beater, Idowu, responded that the land had long been sold and besides, the man was no longer the chairman of the union.
“Their argument resulted in a fight and the ex-chairman threw punches at Idowu, who was supported by another panel beater, Olowolaiyemo.
“The former chairman brought out a ring and hit them; they fell and could not get up.
Co-mechanics rushed at the victims and tried to help them, but they looked pale with their eyes wide open. They could not talk or respond to questions.
“Idowu was rushed to a church and a prophet prayed for him. After a while, he was a bit fine, but could still not talk as he was demonstrating with his hands.
So, his family was informed about the incident and they requested that he should be brought to their village in the Oja-Odan area of Ogun State.
“The ex-chairman and others were arrested by policemen from the Ayobo Police Station. He was later released and he’s back in the community.”
One of the victims, Idowu, who narrated his experience, said his partner who tried to save him from being beaten up by the ex-chairman, was also assaulted.
“The present chairman asked me to accompany him to the site because he wanted to apportion land to a member of the association.
While we were measuring the land with a tape rule (tape measure), the ex-chairman came in to stop us.
“They pounced on me, gave me some punches and when I refused to give them the tape rule, another member of their team tried to break my hands in other to collect the tape by force.
One of our members, who tried to rescue me, was beaten with a charm and he fell to the ground and couldn’t get up.
Then, the ex-chairman beat me as well with the charm and I didn’t know what happened afterwards.
“I landed in a hospital and was receiving the second drip when I managed to tell them to take me to my village at Oja-Odan, Ogun State, for treatment.
“They thought I was pretending. Eventually, I was transferred to my village, where I was treated.
I am better now and I have resumed back to work,” he revealed.
On his part, Olowolayemo, alleged that he was hit with a charm while trying to separate the fight.