Tension engulfed parts of Osun State on Monday as an ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Ido-Ayegunle spiraled into violence, leaving seven police officers wounded in an ambush near Esa-Oke.
The Osun State Police Command confirmed the attack, revealing that officers were ambushed while responding to the unrest. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Yemisi Opalola, disclosed that the officers sustained gunshot wounds after they were fired upon from the bushes.
“The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Umar Abba, had deployed officers from different formations to the area to restore order,” Opalola explained. “Unfortunately, as they approached the crisis zone, they encountered a roadblock set up with logs of wood. When some officers alighted to clear the way, they were attacked by gunmen hiding in the bush.”
According to police reports, the officers returned fire, forcing the attackers to retreat. “Two of the gunmen were arrested, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend others involved,” Opalola added.
Chieftaincy Dispute Sparks Unrest
Sources from the community revealed that the violence stemmed from a heated chieftaincy dispute in Ido-Ayegunle, a town situated between Esa-Oke and Ijebu-Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area. The dispute had reportedly been brewing since the weekend but escalated on Monday when some indigenes opposed the legitimacy of the town’s traditional ruler, claiming he was not a native of the community but from Ilesa.
What began as a local disagreement soon erupted into full-blown violence, prompting the police intervention that led to the ambush.
Gunmen Open Fire on Police Officers
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers had strategically laid an ambush for the officers. “The moment they stepped out of their vehicles to clear the barricade, gunshots rang out from the surrounding bush,” a resident recounted. “It was a terrifying moment. The police fired back, and the gunmen fled after a brief exchange.”
Security analysts suspect the attackers may have been local militia members or hired armed men seeking to escalate the crisis. “Chieftaincy disputes in Yoruba communities often turn violent, especially when there are allegations of an ‘outsider’ being imposed as king,” an expert in traditional affairs told reporters.
Injured Officers Recovering, Security Tightened
The wounded officers are currently receiving treatment, and police authorities have assured the public that they are in stable condition. “The injured personnel are recuperating at the hospital,” Opalola confirmed. “We are working assiduously to track down the perpetrators of this criminal act.”
Meanwhile, security has been heightened in the troubled area, with more police reinforcements deployed to prevent further violence. The Osun State government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
