The Osun State Police Command has arrested a lawyer, Abdulrauf Ogunshola, and four other suspects in connection with the killing of 14-year-old Olapade Ezekiel ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election.
The other suspects were identified as Saheed Kareem, 32, also known as Tanfiani; Ismail Yekeen, 24, alias Asumo Ayan; Abass Afeez, 32, known as SS Abass; and Salako Taofeek, 30, popularly called Fenuso.
In a statement issued on Friday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, the command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the shooting occurred on June 1, 2026, at about 3:30 p.m. at a palm-wine shop along Council Road, near the Irepodun Local Government Headquarters in Ilobu.
According to the police, the victim’s father, Olugbenga Olapade of Ododo Compound, Ilobu, reported the incident at the local police division around 5 p.m. on the same day.
The police said the teenager was at the shop with his parents and other customers when a group of people allegedly arrived in a Sienna bus and began shooting indiscriminately.
Ezekiel sustained a fatal gunshot wound and died, while another person, Matthew John, also known as Mofoto, was injured.
Following the incident, police operatives launched an investigation and tracked the suspects to various locations where they had allegedly hidden to evade arrest.
The command said all five suspects had confessed to participating in the crime. It added that further investigations identified Taofeek, alias Fenuso, as the person allegedly responsible for firing the fatal shot, based on information provided by his alleged accomplices.
According to the police, Taofeek also identified a man known as “Alaagba” as the alleged armourer and custodian of the weapon used in the attack. The individual remains at large.
The command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and any other persons connected to the incident.
The police assured the public that investigations would be conducted professionally and impartially, with credible evidence and forensic findings used to establish each suspect’s alleged role before prosecution.
