The father of a teenager allegedly killed during a violent incident in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State, has recounted the circumstances that led to his son’s death.
Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Monday, Mr. Olapade Olugbemiga said his son, Ezekiel, was fatally shot while trying to assist his mother to safety during the chaos.
Olugbemiga explained that his wife, a palm wine seller operating near the Ilobu Local Government Secretariat, was attending to customers when panic broke out after some armed men allegedly arrived in a vehicle bearing the insignia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and began firing gunshots into the air.
According to him, the sporadic shooting caused residents and customers in the area to flee for safety.
The grieving father said he initially joined efforts to rescue another victim who had sustained gunshot injuries, taking the injured person to the palace where emergency assistance was being coordinated.
He, however, said he was later informed by his wife that their son could not be found.
Olugbemiga said he immediately returned to the area and began searching for the teenager.
According to information made available to him, his wife had fallen while trying to escape the violence, prompting Ezekiel to return and help her.
He stated that the teenager was struck by bullets in the head and shoulder while attempting to rescue his mother.
The father said his search ended in tragedy when he eventually discovered his son’s lifeless body by the roadside.
He said, “My wife sells palm wine around the local government secretariat. While customers were relaxing, some people arrived in an APC-marked vehicle and started shooting sporadically, causing panic as people ran for safety,
“I rushed back and started searching for him. Later, I found him lying lifeless by the roadside.
“I was told that his mother had fallen while running and Ezekiel went back to help her. In the process, he was hit by a bullet in the head and shoulder.”
The incident has heightened concerns over insecurity and violence in the community, with residents calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing.
(Vanguard)
