Tension and panic broke out in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Wednesday after suspected hoodlums attacked the convoy of Governor Ademola Adeleke shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.
The attack triggered a gun battle between the suspected assailants and security operatives attached to the governor, forcing residents and traders around the area to flee for safety.
Adeleke had arrived at the Ataoja’s palace at about 3:15pm in a convoy of roughly 20 vehicles after collecting his Certificate of Return at the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osogbo following his re-election.
An eyewitness said the governor met with the monarch and presented his Certificate of Return to the Ataoja before the situation took a dramatic turn as the meeting ended.
According to the eyewitness, Adeleke had already left the palace hall through an exit designated for the monarch and his wives and boarded his vehicle when heavy gunshots suddenly rang out.
“He was already in the bus that brought him and his close aides to the palace when we started hearing heavy gunshots.
“Those who attacked came in an unregistered Sienna space bus through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo.
“The shooting lasted for about 12 to 15 minutes before the governor’s convoy eventually left the palace. The governor’s security men and the hoodlums exchanged gunfire before the attackers fled,” she said.
A trader near the palace, identified simply as Munirat, alleged that the attackers may have been waiting for the governor after learning of his visit.
“We suspected that those hoodlums heard about Adeleke’s visit and had been waiting for him. They came in a Sienna space bus and even damaged the main gate to the palace.
“They shot at the palace main gate, but the security men pushed them back. We all ran away and left our wares.
“They also engaged the governor near the Osogbo Central Mosque before fleeing towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road,” she said.
The attack sent residents and business owners into panic, with traders abandoning their shops and running for cover as gunfire reverberated around the area.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled the attackers.
He, however, said no casualty was recorded.
“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” Alimi said.
As of 4:45pm, sporadic gunshots were still being heard around the area, while several businesses remained hurriedly shut as residents feared further violence.
