Suspected thugs on Wednesday attacked the convoy of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, triggering an exchange of gunfire with the governor’s security personnel.
The incident occurred shortly after Adeleke left the palace, where he had met with the monarch and reportedly presented his Certificate of Return following his re-election. The governor had arrived at the palace at about 3:15 pm in a motorcade after leaving the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo.
An eyewitness said the shooting started as the meeting at the palace was ending and lasted between 12 and 15 minutes. According to the witness, Adeleke had already left the palace hall and was inside a vehicle with his close aides when heavy gunfire erupted.
The assailants were said to have arrived in an unregistered Sienna bus through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo. They allegedly engaged the governor’s security personnel in a gun battle before fleeing the scene.
Another eyewitness, a trader identified simply as Munirat, said the attackers appeared to have waited for the governor’s visit. She alleged that the suspects damaged and fired at the main gate of the Ataoja’s palace, causing traders and residents in the area to flee for safety.
The attack reportedly caused panic around the palace and nearby areas, with business owners hurriedly closing their shops as gunshots continued to be heard.
The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the incident, saying the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled the attackers. He added that no casualty was recorded.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, sporadic gunshots were still reportedly heard in parts of the area, while security remained heightened around the palace and surrounding locations.
