Some gunmen reportedly killed one person and injured two local chiefs in a Thursday afternoon attack on the Oluke community in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
This is just as the state’s Police Command said it had commenced an investigation into the attack.
PUNCH Metro gathered from a source within the community on Sunday that the attack, which occurred on Thursday, left one person dead with two others sustaining gunshot injuries.
The deceased was identified as an operative of the Ogun State Community, Social, and Orientation Corps, codenamed So-Safe Corps.
Our correspondent gathered that the attack was a fallout of the lingering obaship tussle within the community, which had led to a series of petitions on who becomes the traditional ruler of the community.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the community on Thursday afternoon and attacked two chiefs who were returning from a meeting, shooting at their vehicles sporadically, leaving them with gunshot injuries.
Upon hearing the sound of the gunshots, the So-Safe operative, identified as Kusika Benjamin, was said to have raced after the gunmen into the bush where he was shot.
The gunshot injuries sustained by Benjamin were said to have led to his death.
The source said, “On Thursday evening, some unidentified gunmen launched an attack on some local chiefs (Baales) returning from a meeting, shot at them, and damaged their vehicles.
“The Baales sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital while the So-Safe officer died on the spot. The police came around after the gunmen had left and restored calm.”
When contacted, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the attack, stressing that two of the local chiefs were shot and an officer of the So-Safe Corps, who arrived at the scene to curb the attack, was shot dead by the gunmen.
“The Divisional Police Officer received a distress call on 18/4/24 at about 1600hrs from Obalade Abuke Oba village via Oluke in Ewekoro, Ogun State, that five unknown gunmen emerged from the bush and opened fire on some baales returning from the Council of Baales’ meeting.
“As a result, one Saibu Rasaq, ‘M’, Baale Keleu village and Sesi Odunjo, ‘M’, Baale Abule Oko village, sustained gunshot injuries on their shoulder and head. They also reported that two of their vehicles were sprayed with bullets.”
She added that upon receipt of the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer led a patrol team to the scene of the shooting and rescued two of the victims to a nearby hospital where they are currently hospitalised.
She added that Benjamin while trying to salvage the situation, ran into the gunmen who opened fire on him. He was, however, rushed to Ifo General Hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival by the doctor on duty.
“One Kusika Benjamin who was later identified as a commander of the So-Safe in Ewekoro was shot by the same unknown fleeing suspects. The DPO rushed him to Ifo Hospital where he was certified dead by the doctor on duty,” she said.
Odutola disclosed further that an investigation had commenced into the incident to unravel the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice.
