Osun killings: Police blame hoodlums as Oyetola demands decisive action

The Osun State Police Command stated that suspected hoodlums are responsible for the deaths of two civilians in Ikire, after they snatched an AK-47 service rifle from police personnel. The attack also resulted in injuries to two police officers and the temporary theft of a patrol vehicle. The vehicle was later found abandoned with multiple bullet holes and a shattered windscreen.

According to a statement by the command's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the incident occurred around 11 a.m. on Monday. An unidentified group of assailants, believed to be political thugs, ambushed a police patrol team attached to the Ikire Division along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway. The team, accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer, was responding to a distress call about an alleged abduction.

Upon arriving at the scene, the officers faced a sudden and unprovoked assault. The assailants opened fire on the police inside their vehicle, successfully seizing one AK-47 rifle. The stolen weapon was then used to fire indiscriminately, leading to the tragic deaths of two civilians, identified as Nurení Sobowale, 49, and Saheed Akinrole, 43. The injured officers were initially treated at a local hospital and have since been referred to the University College Hospital in Ibadan for advanced care.

Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, visited the scene and ordered a comprehensive investigation. Tactical and intelligence teams have been deployed to the area to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. The police condemned the attack and urged the public to remain calm and vigilant, appealing for any information that could assist in the investigation.