Police blame suspected hoodlums for Osun shooting, identify deceased

The Osun State Police Command has attributed the deaths of two civilians and injuries to two police officers in Ikire to suspected hoodlums who forcibly seized an AK-47 rifle from a patrol team. The incident occurred on Monday when the police team was responding to a distress call regarding an alleged abduction.

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The patrol team, accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer of Ikire Division, was responding to a distress call regarding the alleged abduction of one Sunkanmi, male, surname unknown. Upon arrival at the location, the officers came under sudden and unprovoked attack by a group of unidentified hoodlums.

According to a statement by the command's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the assailants launched an "unprovoked attack" on the officers. During the confrontation, the hoodlums succeeded in snatching the service rifle and used it to fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic deaths of Nurení Sobowale, 49, and Saheed Akinrole, 43. The police also reported that a patrol vehicle was taken and later recovered with significant damage.

Osogbo, the state capital, is where the police command released the statement. The victims' bodies were taken to Oluyoro Catholic Mortuary, and their families were notified. The injured officers were initially treated at a local hospital before being referred to the University College Hospital in Ibadan for advanced care. The command has secured nine expended ammunition shells from the scene for forensic analysis.

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The hoodlums used the stolen weapon to fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic loss of two innocent civilians.

Newly appointed Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, visited the scene to assess the situation. He has directed a thorough investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department and deployed tactical and intelligence assets to the area to track down the suspects. The police urged the public to remain calm and vigilant while assuring them of efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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Condemning what it called an ‘unprovoked attack on police personnel and the senseless loss of innocent lives,’ the command urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant.