OSOGBO
Hoodlums on Wednesday reportedly engaged in a gun battle with security personnel attached to the convoy of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.
The incident occurred shortly after Adeleke received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and visited the palace to celebrate his victory with the traditional ruler.
Sources at the palace disclosed that the hoodlums had allegedly laid siege to the area in an unregistered Toyota Sienna vehicle before the governor arrived.
The source further disclosed that some of the hoodlums were engaged in a heated argument before the shooting started, adding that the cause of the altercation and the intended target of the shooting could not immediately be established.
According to an eyewitness close to the palace, Laide Misturah, said that a few minutes after the governor and his entourage entered the palace, they started hearing gunshots.
“The guys were shooting from inside the main gate while the governor’s security team responded from inside the palace.
“The shooting was intense for almost three minutes before the hoodlums ran away with their vehicle before the governor’s convoy could exit the palace,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said suspected hoodlums were involved in the shooting.
“It is true there were gunshots when we were exiting the palace and the governor’s security team had to go and engage them. But the circumstances that led to the shooting in the first place, we do not know.
“We only heard that there was an altercation between some groups outside the palace, and we don’t know what caused it or which groups were involved,” he added.
