Four killed as hoodlums invade Osun community

Four persons were reportedly killed after gun-wielding hoodlums invaded a community, Ido-Ayegunle, via Esa-Oke in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State to unleash mayhem.

It was gathered that the hooded hoodlums stormed the community on Thursday morning with gun and cutlasses attacking people who were working on their farms.

It would be recalled that crisis has erupted between Esa-Oke and Ido-Ayegunle in February over land dispute leading to the destruction of property with Esa-Oke suffering huge lost.

Esa-Oke insisted that an outsider cannot be made an Oba on a land that historically belonged to the town and with a community (Baale) head existing therein.

Meanwhile after the attack, it was gathered some of the victims bodies were mutilated as a head was severed from the body while another person’s heart was also removed.

When contacted, the Obaala of Ido-Ayegunle, Ibironke Adebusuyi said the assailants who invaded the community on motorcycle were on a mission to kill and destroy properties, hence, they were shooting at anyone on sight and burning properties.

Our people were in the community on Thursday embarking on there daily activities when hooded hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded our community, they started shooting. We could recognize some of them. They came from Esa-Oke axis, they came on motorcycles around 10am, they surrounded our community, they killed four people in a brutal manner, they cut the head of one of victims.

“After killing them, the assailants removed the head and heart of some victims before throwing their bodies into a well and used big stones and slabs to cover it. All the people killed were from Ido-Ayegunle”, he said.

The community leader called on the security operatives and government to bring the culprit to justice, adding that claims that the crisis was a fight between hunters and hoodlums was not true.

It is a lie that those that strike are Hunters and that those that were killed are hoodlums, it is not issue of hunter/hoodlum attack at all. We demand that the government and security operatives bring the assailants to justice”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran said the allegation that the attackers were from Esa-Oke was not true, challenging the claimant to bring evidence to that effect.

“Those that claim that the attackers were Esa-Oke should substantiate their claims and bring evidence to support that we plan an attack on them. Esa-Oke is not aware or involved in any crisis in the community”, he said.

Reacting, Osun Police command spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi disclosed that the crisis was a result of a prolonged communal dispute on the area, saying that police operatives quickly intervene in the situation but the assailants took to their heel upon sighting policemen.

“Four people were killed in the clash. Some house where burnt, properties including bikes, generators, streetlights were damaged. The CP has visited the place on Friday and we will not relent until perpetrators are arrested” he said.