The Osun State Police Command has blamed suspected political thugs for an attack in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, which left two civilians dead and three police personnel injured.
The incident occurred on Monday at the Naira and Kobo area of Ikire, along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway, amid reported tension over control of a motor park.
According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, police officers attached to the Ikire Division were responding to a distress call over the alleged abduction of a man identified as Sunkanmi when they came under attack.
The police said the assailants, described as unidentified hoodlums suspected to be political thugs, opened fire on the officers and succeeded in taking an AK-47 service rifle from one of them.
The command said the attackers subsequently used the seized rifle to fire indiscriminately, resulting in the deaths of two civilians.
The deceased were identified by the police as 49-year-old Nurení Sobowale of Odeda area, Abeokuta, and 43-year-old Saheed Akinrole of Adeagbo Compound, Ikire. Their remains were deposited at Oluyoro Catholic Mortuary, while their families were notified.
The police also said three of its personnel were injured in the attack. Two officers who sustained serious injuries were initially taken to a nearby hospital before being referred to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for further treatment.
The command said the police patrol vehicle involved in the incident was forcefully taken by the assailants but was later recovered with multiple bullet holes and a damaged windscreen. Nine spent ammunition shells were also recovered at the scene for forensic examination.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, CP Ibrahim Zungura, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
The command said tactical and intelligence personnel had also been deployed to identify, track and arrest those responsible.
The police account comes amid conflicting claims from political groups over the circumstances surrounding the violence.
The All Progressives Congress in Osun alleged that suspected hoodlums linked to the Accord Party had abducted an APC member before police officers responded to a distress call. The APC claimed that the suspects attacked the police team and seized a rifle, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
The Accord Party, however, rejected the allegation and accused the Divisional Police Officer of Irewole Division, Bamidele Olatona, of opening fire on civilians at the motor park. The party demanded an investigation into the conduct of the officer. The allegation against the police officer has not been independently established.
Earlier reports had also linked the violence to an alleged attempt by rival groups to take control of the Naira and Kobo motor park. However, the competing accounts of how the shooting began and who was responsible remain subject to investigation.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over political and communal violence in Osun, where tensions have persisted in parts of the state.
The police urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and appealed for credible information that could assist investigators in apprehending the perpetrators.
The command said the outcome of its investigation would be made public in due course.
