By Ayo Kehinde
Two civilians have been killed and two police officers injured in a violent incident in Ikire, Osun State, as conflicting accounts continue to trail who is responsible for the renewed post- election violence in the state l.
The violence erupted on Monday at the Naira and Kobo area of Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway, amid an alleged struggle for control of the motor garage
While the Osun State Police Command described the incident as an armed attack on its patrol team by suspected political thugs, residents and political actors in the community have accused the police, particularly the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), of involvement in the shooting.
According to the Osun Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, officers from the Ikire Divisional Police Headquarters, accompanied by the DPO, were responding to a distress call concerning the alleged abduction of a man identified simply as Sunkanmi when they came under sudden attack.
The police said the officers were fired upon while inside their operational vehicle by unidentified hoodlums.
The assailants allegedly overpowered the officers and snatched an AK-47 service rifle.
According to the police, the attackers then used the stolen rifle to shoot indiscriminately, resulting in the deaths of two civilians.
The deceased were identified as 49-year-old Nurení Sobowale of Odeda Area, Abeokuta, and 43-year-old Saheed Akinrole of Adeagbo Compound, Ikire.
The attackers also reportedly took away the police patrol vehicle but later abandoned it.
The vehicle was recovered with several bullet holes and a shattered windscreen, while nine spent ammunition shells were recovered at the scene for forensic examination. The police have since launched a manhunt for the assailants, and efforts are underway to recover the stolen rifle.
Two officers sustained serious injuries during the incident. They were initially taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for further treatment.
Citizens and political actors in Ikire, however, have disputed the police narrative.
Reports from the community indicate that the violence began around the Naira and Kobo motor park after rival groups allegedly clashed over control of the facility.
The attackers allegedly mobilised from the Oja-Ale area towards Naira and Kobo and attempted to take over the motor park and the nearby local government secretariat. A resident said the police were alerted after an individual was allegedly attacked, leading to the deployment of officers.
Another local account reported that drivers associated with the APC had been operating the park before a group allegedly aligned with the Accord Party arrived and attempted to take control.
The clash reportedly sent residents, traders and transport workers fleeing for safety, while businesses shut temporarily.
The Accord Party accused the Irewole DPO, identified as Bamidele Olatona, of opening fire on civilians.
In a statement, the party’s Osun chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, alleged that normal activities were ongoing at the motor park when the DPO allegedly launched an attack on unarmed civilians. He called for the DPO’s immediate arrest, investigation, dismissal and prosecution.
The casualty figure has also become part of the controversy. While the police officially identified two civilian victims, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance (CCSOGG) alleged that five people were killed — three commercial bus drivers and two passersby.
The Osun APC Media Cluster also claimed that five people were killed during the violence.
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance condemned the violence and demanded an independent investigation into the killings.
The group expressed concern over allegations that elements within the security architecture may have aided or facilitated the attempted takeover of the motor park.
It specifically called for an investigation into the conduct of the Ikire DPO and any other security personnel alleged to have compromised the operation.
The coalition argued that allegations involving police personnel should not be investigated solely through an internal process that could undermine public confidence. It also called on President Bola Tinubu and relevant security and intelligence agencies to identify and prosecute the alleged sponsors, financiers, masterminds and foot soldiers behind recurring violence in Osun State, irrespective of political affiliation.
Amid the controversy, the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, CP Ibrahim Zungura, visited Ikire and conducted an on-the-spot assessment.
He ordered a comprehensive investigation and directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to lead the probe.
The Commissioner also ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence personnel to identify and arrest those responsible for the violence.
The police urged residents to remain calm and provide information that could assist investigators.
