Metro

Chieftaincy Tussle: Gunmen Invade Osun Community, Kill 4, Injure 7 Policemen

Published

4 months ago

February 3, 2025

Residents of Esa-Oke in the Obokun local government area of Osun State were on Monday thrown into anxiety as gunmen invaded the town in buses shooting sporadically in the town.

This is as police and the community traded blame over the alleged shooting which reportedly led to the death of four persons in the town.

It was gathered that the crisis broke out after the State Government announced one Prince Timileyin Ajayi as the new Olojudo of Ido Ajegunle last week contrary to the wishes of residents of the community.

It was also learnt that a Baale was already installed in the community over six years ago by the Owamirin of Esa-Oke, the consenting authority and in line with the practice in the area since Ido-Ajegunle was founded.

One of the community leaders, Oladiti Awodiran, who spoke on behalf of Esa-Oke Central Union, ECU, said the town which was under Esa-Oke is located behind the College of Technology.

His words, “My heart bleeds and my head aches as I stand before you today to inform you that men in Police uniform invaded Esa-Oke community and started shooting sporadically leading to the death of no fewer than four youth while several others were wounded in the mayhem

“The pandemonium broke out as a result of the announcement by Governor Ademola Adeleke that a stranger has been appointed as Oba or Baale in a community within Esa OKE Town.

“Esa-Oke is in Ijeaa North Federal constituency, the settlement (IDO AJEGUNLE) on which a monarch was appointed by Owa of Ilesa is unit eleven a polling station under Esa-Oke. To us, The appointment of a Baale or Oba on another town’s territory negates all logic, tradition and history.

“Our community have resolved to follow the path of law to settle the impasse after intervention from prominent indigenes before the unfortunate incident.

“As I stand here to address you, Youth in Esa-Oke are being arrested arbitrarily and are being moved to unknown places and we are calling on the Osun State commission of Police, Director of DSS Osun State, office of the special Adviser to investigate the killing in Esa-Oke today(Monday)”, he said.

Reacting, Spokesperson, Osun police command, CSP Yemisi Opalola disclosed that the police deployed to ensure law and order in the community were ambushed by some youths in the town and injured seven of the operatives.

Her words, “Police operatives have been deployed to restore peace. Seven policemen were shot when they first arrived the community.

“When we heard that there was crisis in the community, we deployed our men to the communities, then they were ambushed. The policemen were trying to clear the trees that they fell on on their path when they were ambushed. Bullet hit one of them on the neck”.

Reacting the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi said, “the situation of disruption in Esa-Oke is quite unfortunate, we receive the news with great and huge shock, however security agencies have been drafted to the place and they have restored peace.

“Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered all the party concerns to remain calm while we dig deep to the root cause of the situation. We sympathize with all the victims that were affected. We promise them that justice will be done to their cases”.
(VANGUARD)

Metro

CBEX Fraud: EFCC Declares Two More Wanted

Published

19 hours ago

June 5, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday declared two more individuals wanted in connection with an alleged fraud case linked to a digital trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly known as CBEX.

The suspects, identified as Folashade Odelana and Bamidele Ayodele Abiodun, were accused of orchestrating fraudulent activities that reportedly led to significant financial losses for unsuspecting investors.

12 persons had been declared wanted by the commission in connection with the same scheme.

In a notice published across its official social media platforms, the anti-graft agency asked members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects to come forward.

The notice read, “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear below are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX). FOLASHADE ODELANA. Odelana is 31 years old and her last known address is at No. 17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

“BAMIDELE AYODELE ABIODUN. Abiodun is 32 years old. His last known address is at No.17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices, or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 0706350724-5; its e-mail address: info@efccnigeria.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

No fewer than 600,000 Nigerians reportedly invested in the scheme and lost N1.3tn after it collapsed in April 2025.

Metro

Protest In Osun Over Alleged Amotekun’s Arrest, Detention Of Community Chiefs

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2025

Editor

Residents of the Itaapa community in Atakumosa-East Local Government Area of Osun State on Wednesday stormed the Amotekun command headquarters protesting alleged indiscriminate arrest and detention of leaders of the town.

The protesters bearing placards with inscriptions such as “Embarrassment, Amotekun De-robed our chiefs”, “Osun Amotekun has become a political tool”, Amotekun supporting criminals”, among, urged the Inspector General of Police to look into the situation.

Addressing newsmen at the protest scene, the leader of the protesters, Chief Olusegun Owoeye said the community has been deserted following the indiscriminate arrest and detention of residents by Amotekun operatives.

It is unfortunate that Amotekun subjected itself to the whims and caprices of criminals terrorising our community over time. It is on record that some criminals already arrested by the police and others on wanted list for terrorising the community have now turn around using the community through PDP leaders to hunt innocent residents of Itaapa.

After the terror acts of the said criminals, including Bode Itaapa in police custody, the community was advised to form a vigilante group by the police to watch over itself.

Those under the said vigilante, having prevented criminals from extorting and harassing residents are now being arrested by the police. Ten community leaders are also in their custody for over five days now.

“We demand their release and called on the Inspector General of Police to order proper investigation into the present situation in the community”, he said.

Reacting, Osun Amotekun Corps Commandant Adekunle Omoyele, said those arrested by Amotekun were being investigated for criminal activities, adding that the corps has laid down procedure for arrest and investigation which it followed to the letter in the case at hand.

We arrested suspects with pump action riple, who claimed to be members of vigilante in the State. The people they mentioned during investigation were also arrested and being investigated. There is no need to drag politics into a pure criminal issues. We will conduct thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that Justice is dispensed in the case”, he said.
(VANGUARD)

Metro

Man Falls From 26-storey Cocoa House In Oyo

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified man has reportedly fallen from one of the top floors of the 26-storey Cocoa House building in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident, which threw the entire business community into panic, occurred in the early hours of Monday.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky.

“It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.

“I had my phone with me but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked.”

Another eyewitness said, “The victim first hit a roof beside the security post of the building before landing on the ground. It was a terrifying sight.”

As of press time, the circumstances behind the unfortunate incident were still sketchy as the investigation continues.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing Cocoa House, on Tuesday, in Ibadan, the state capital, confirmed the incident.

The Head of Branding and Communication of the company, Victor Ayetoro, who authorised the statement, said, “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.

“The company expressed deep concerns over the development and assured the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall,” he added.