Osun palace razed, one killed by gunmen

….The atmosphere of Ilobu and Ifon, Osun state on Sunday threatened with communal war aa some unknown gunmen reportedly stormed the Palace of Olokanla of Okanla, killed an admission seeker, Ibrahim Qudus and also razed down the building.

The cause of the problem remains unknown as at the time of filing this report but the state Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe had visited the scene of the crime, adding that more police officers had been deployed to the area.

“Someone was burnt with a car around Okanla, the area is between Ifon and Ilobu. We have deployed our men to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order. The Commissioner of Police has visited the scene.”

Speaking on the matter, an elder brother to the deceased, Jimoh Qadri, said” The assailants were led by a man identified simply as Naim, who was the only one among the attackers who did not cover his face during the attack.”

According to him,” the perpetrators had initially stormed his personal house and met his absence before they proceeded to his father’s house, the late Oba Jimoh Adigun.”

“I was not at home, but my wife called me that gunmen numbering about 20 had stormed my house in Okanla Area very early on Sunday. She told me they all covered their faces, but one of them bearing Naim did not cover his face and my wife saw him. The attackers were after me and they searched around the house”.

“When they could not find me around, they vandalised the building and proceeded to my family house, which my late father, Olokanla of Okanla used as his palace. It was there they saw Qudus, a son of my elder brother, who was living in Ibadan, until he recently returned home to seek university admission, after writing UTME.

“He was killed and they put his corpse in my car parked within the premises and set the vehicle ablaze. They also razed down the palace. The reason behind the attack is not known to me. But it may not be unconnected with the tussle over land in our area. The family is pleading with the security agencies to ensure that perpetrators of this crime are apprehended.”