Four persons were reported killed on Friday when suspected gunmen invaded Ido Ayegunle, a village near Esa Oke town in Osun State.
During the raid, the gunmen also torched community structures and destroyed people’ property.
It was not immediately obvious who carried out the attack, but Ibironke Adebusuyi, the Obanla of Ido Ayegunle, claimed in an interview with PUNCH Online that the gunmen were from Esa Oke.
The inhabitants of Esa Oke and Ido Ayegunle have been at odds since January, when the Osun State Government appointed Prince Oluwatimileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as Ido Ayegunle’s Olojudo.
Speaking on the latest attack, Adebusuyi said the gunmen covered their faces.
He further said, “Our people were in the community yesterday, going about their normal activities when hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded our community. They started shooting. They covered their faces, but we could recognise some of them.
“They came from the Esa Oke axis, arriving on motorcycles around 10 am. They surrounded our community and killed four people in a brutal manner. They cut the head off one of them and the wrist of another.
“After killing them, they threw their bodies inside a well and used big stones and slabs to cover them. All those killed were from Ido Ayegunle. We are still looking for two people, but four have been confirmed dead. Their remains are at Wesley Guild Hospital mortuary in Ilesa.”
He urged the state administration to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
When reached, the Owamiran of Esa Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, denied the charges, saying people criticising his village should show evidence.
“I know nothing about the incident,” Oba Adediran stated.
Meanwhile, Oba Adediran was seen on Friday at the Nigeria Police’s Osun Command headquarters in Osogbo.
According to sources, during his visit to the command headquarters, the royal father met with State Police Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan to examine the area’s challenges.
Giving an update on the security situation in Ido Ayegunle, the state’s police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that the conflict was precipitated by a disagreement about boundaries.
He confirmed that four people were killed in the attack by the gunmen.
“It is a continuation of the previous clash; the people have not relented. As of yesterday (Thursday), when it happened, the police swung into action. Our men went to the scene, but the perpetrators fled when they saw the police.
“The CP visited the place today; we have just returned. Four people were killed in the clash. Those deaths were probably caused by the delay before they were taken to the hospital.
“Some houses were burnt, and properties including bikes, generators, and streetlights were damaged. Nobody has been arrested yet, but we have recovered some items that could help in our investigation. We are on it, and by God’s grace, those responsible will face the full wrath of the law. Our men are on the ground; the DPO, Area Commander, and tactical team are present,” Ojelabi said.
