Ikire violence: Osun police identify two victims killed
Two Dead in Shooting Incident in Ikire, Osun State
The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the identities of two individuals who were killed in a shooting incident in Ikire on Monday.
According to a statement from the police, the victims were 49-year-old Nurení Sobowale, from Odeda Area in Abeokuta, and 43-year-old Saheed Akinrole, of Adeagbo Compound in Ikire. The police attributed the attack to suspected armed assailants targeting a police patrol unit.
The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. along the Ibadan–Ife Expressway when a patrol team from the Ikire Division responded to a distress call regarding the alleged abduction of a man identified only as Sunkanmi. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers, along with the Divisional Police Officer, came under fire and were reportedly robbed of one AK-47 service rifle.
The stolen weapon was later used by the attackers to shoot indiscriminately, resulting in the deaths of Sobowale and Akinrole. Police later recovered the abandoned rifle, which had multiple bullet holes and a destroyed windscreen.
Authorities recovered nine spent ammunition shells from the scene, which will undergo forensic examination. Two officers sustained serious injuries and received initial treatment at a nearby hospital before being referred to the University College Hospital in Ibadan for further care.
The remains of Sobowale and Akinrole have been transferred to the Oluyoro Catholic Mortuary, and their families have been notified.
The newly appointed Commissioner of Police for Osun State, Ibrahim Zungura, visited the site of the shooting and has directed the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to conduct a thorough investigation. The police have also dispatched tactical and intelligence personnel to assist in identifying and apprehending those responsible for the attack.
In a statement, the police urged residents with relevant information to contact the nearest police station and advised the community to remain calm and vigilant as efforts to restore security in the area continue.
This incident follows reports of tensions in Ikire, specifically concerning disputes over control of a local motor park at Naira and Kobo Junction, where rival groups have recently clashed.
