Tension briefly gripped Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday after suspected hoodlums attacked the convoy of Governor Ademola Adeleke shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.
Drivetvnews gathered that the incident occurred shortly after Adeleke visited the monarch following his receipt of the Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, earlier in the day.
The governor reportedly arrived at the palace around 3:15pm in a convoy of about 20 vehicles after leaving the Osun State INEC office in Osogbo.
According to eyewitness accounts, Adeleke and members of his entourage had concluded their meeting with the monarch when gunshots suddenly rang out around the palace.
An eyewitness said the governor had already entered a vehicle with some of his aides when the attackers reportedly approached the area in an unregistered Sienna bus through the Ita Olokan axis.
The ensuing exchange of gunfire between the suspected hoodlums and the governor’s security personnel reportedly lasted between 12 and 15 minutes before the attackers fled.
A trader operating close to the palace, identified as Munirat, said the assailants appeared to have anticipated the governor’s arrival.
She alleged that the attackers damaged part of the palace’s main gate and opened fire before security personnel forced them away from the premises.
According to her, the attackers later engaged the governor’s security team near the Osogbo Central Mosque before escaping towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road.
The incident caused panic among residents and traders in the area, with several people reportedly abandoning their businesses and seeking safety.
The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the attack.
Alimi said the governor’s security team successfully repelled the attackers and that no person was injured or killed in the incident.
“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” he said.
As of about 4:45pm, sporadic gunshots were reportedly still being heard in parts of the area, prompting some business owners to close their shops amid concerns over their safety.
The incident occurred on the same day Adeleke formally received his Certificate of Return from INEC following his victory in the Osun governorship election.
