No fewer than two persons were reportedly killed, while six others sustained injuries following an attack by suspected political thugs on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The incident occurred late Wednesday night at the Owode-Igbona area of the state capital, where the victims were reportedly holding a meeting when the attackers struck.
According to Vanguard, the assailants arrived at the venue in a white Toyota Hiace bus, dressed in black uniforms and wearing face masks to conceal their identities.
A resident of the area, Rasheed Abiola, said the attackers stormed the community at about 8 p.m. and opened fire indiscriminately, forcing residents to flee for safety.
The deceased were identified as Kazeem Akande, 70, and Lekan, who was reportedly shot dead in a separate attack at the Egbatedo area of Osogbo. Both victims died from gunshot wounds.
Those injured included the APC flag bearer in the Owode area, Kehinde Salaudeen, 60, Olalekan Mutiu, a 13-year-old girl identified as Rodiyat Ariyo, and others.
Lekan’s body was deposited at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, while Kazeem’s remains were taken to Osogbo Central Hospital before being released to his family.
Five of the injured victims are currently receiving treatment at Osogbo Central Hospital, while the 13-year-old girl is being treated at another medical facility.
One of the survivors, Oyedele Awosola, popularly known as Ogunteru, alleged that one of the attackers, identified as Taoreed, also known as “Small Rugged,” pointed a gun at him and ordered him out of his vehicle during the attack.
Awosola said he initially mistook the attackers for police officers because they arrived in a white bus alongside another vehicle.
He claimed that after resisting an attempt to abduct him, the suspect allegedly fired shots at him as he escaped.
The survivor further alleged that the police later recovered a Beretta pistol believed to have fallen from the suspect during the chase. He also claimed the attackers had been monitoring the area since he and others defected from the Accord Party to the APC.
Reacting to the incident, a former Commissioner, Adebayo Adeleke, alleged that some of the attackers were operating from the Government House and called on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene.
He described the attack as premeditated and expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the state. Adeleke also alleged that some Amotekun operatives had been using police uniforms to perpetrate crimes.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command confirmed the incidents.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the Egbatedo attack, while arms and ammunition were recovered from the Owode-Igbona scene.
According to the police spokesperson, investigations are ongoing, adding that some of the suspects mentioned by eyewitnesses are already on the police watch list.
Ojelabi, however, said the command could not immediately confirm the exact number of casualties from the Owode-Igbona attack, although several persons sustained injuries.
(Vanguard)