Metro

Details On How Masquerades Killed One, Injured 14 In Osun Mosque Emerge

Published

5 years ago

June 28, 2021

Facts have emerged on how one person died and 14 others were injured when armed masquerades allegedly invaded Kamorudeen Central Mosque on Sunday afternoon in Olu-Ode Aranyin area of Osogbo, Osun State.

One of the leaders of the mosque was killed during the incident, which occurred around 2:30pm when worshippers were observing a prayer session for Nigeria.

A source said the worshippers were praying when an altercation ensued between them and masquerades passing through the road beside the mosque.

The altercation led to a brawl and gunshots were fired at the mosque, which left one person dead and 14 others injured.

When The Nation visited the mosque on Monday, there was uneasy calm in the area.

Residents were still shocked by the incident. Canopies erected by the mosques and plastic chairs were in disarray with bloodstains on the floor.

The glass windows of the mosque were damaged.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Chief Imam of Kamorudeen Central Mosque, Qosim Yusuf, recounted how the incident happened.

He said: “Three hours into the prayer there was a commotion around the mosque. It is unfortunate that while we are praying for peace, we became casualties of attack by the masquerade worshipers.

“The attack was led by one Chief Kayode Esuleke as he stormed the mosque and unleashed mayhem on the Islamic faithful leaving one person dead and 14 injured with various degrees of bullets wound. Our mosque, vehicles and other properties were vandalised.

“The remains of the deceased, Alhaji Moshood Salawudeen is already deposited at the morgue of UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital and other people that are injured.

“We give government 72-hour ultimatum to ensure immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief Kayode Esuleke and others that participated in the gruesome murder of Alhaji Moshood Salawudee. The government should take over the bills of all our members in hospital and all the properties vandalised must be taken care of.”

However, custodian of the masquerades, Fashola Esuleke, denied the allegation in a chat with The Nation.

He said: “We started the masquerade festival on Friday. On Sunday we were walking through Olu-Ode Aranyin and we were walking around the area when the Muslim faithful attacked us and tried to unclad the Masquerade.

“We escaped the scene and the Muslim wanted to kill the masquerade. The police and Agbekoya rescued the masquerade from the scene. We don’t know anything about the killing. Our men are even injured when they attacked us.”

Spokesperson of Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed they have arrested some persons in connection with the incident.

(NATION)

Metro

JUST IN: Court Grants Malami, Wife, Son N500m Bail Each

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has admitted former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to bail in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum pending his trial.

Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, who is an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering to the tune of N8.7 billion.

Ruling on the bail application filed by Malami and his codefendants on Wednesday, Justice Nwite also ordered that the two sureties must have landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa districts of Abuja.

He ruled that the documents of the properties belonging to the sureties are to be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, while the sureties are also to depose to an affidavit of means.

Malami is to deposit his travelling documents with the Court and must not travel out of the country without the express permission of the court.

Besides, the former AGF and his sureties were also ordered to deposit their two recent passport photograph with the court.

Meanwhile, Malami has been ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

After delivering ruling on the bail application, the trial judge, Justice Nwite, fixed February 17, 2026, for the commencement of the trial in the matter.

The same bail conditions were extended to Malami’s son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, who is an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.

The EFCC had slammed a 16-count charge against Malami, his son, and his wife.

In count one of the charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that, “You Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, between July 2022 and June 2025, in Abuja, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the sum of N1,014,848,500.00 in a Sterling Bank Plc account, when they reasonably ought to have known that the sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activities, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

Count five reads: “That you Abubakar Malami, SAN, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami and Hajia Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, sometime in September 2024, in Abuja, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1,049,173,926.13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, Jabi, between November 2022 and September 2024, contrary to Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Sections 18(2)(a) and 18(3) of the same Act”.

Count six reads: “That you Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, between November 2022 and October 2025, indirectly took control of the aggregate sum of N1,362,887,872.96 paid through the Union Bank Plc savings account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, when they reasonably ought to have known that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

Metro

18-year-old OAU Medical Student Dies While Sleeping

Published

22 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has announced the death of an 18-year-old part-three medical student of the institution.

The student, identified as Timilehin Adetoye Toromade, was a student of the College of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine and Surgery.

According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, Timilehin with matriculation number CLI/2022/133, reportedly died in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

The statement revealed that the “university received the news of the student’s passing with shock and deep sorrow”.

It also described the incident as devastating to the academic community.

According to the statement, “preliminary information suggested that the student might have died shortly after 2 a.m., as one of his roommates reportedly said the deceased opened the door for another student around that time.

“The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences on behalf of the Visitor, the University Council, Management, Senate, staff and students”.

The VC, Professor Bamire, described the incident as a painful loss, saying, “The loss of a young life filled with promise, purpose, and potential is a tragedy that words alone cannot adequately capture.”

He added that the university community was united in grief over the passing of a student who had embraced the rigours of medical training with the aim of serving humanity.

According to him, the death had left a void among the student’s peers and all those who knew him within the university community.

The university management stated that it was working closely with relevant authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident, in line with established medical and administrative procedures.

It also disclosed that appropriate support measures were being put in place to assist students and members of the university community who may have been emotionally affected by the loss.

The management called on students, staff, alumni and friends of the institution to remain calm and compassionate, while extending sympathy to the family of the deceased.

Metro

Panic As BRT Bus Catches Fire On Third Mainland Bridge

Published

22 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Panic gripped motorists on Tuesday afternoon following a fire outbreak involving a Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, vehicle on the Third Mainland Bridge, leading to massive traffic disruption.

The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. near the Adekunle section of the bridge, heading towards Iyana Oworo.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle.

According to the agency, the high-capacity BRT bus suddenly went up in flames, prompting anxiety among road users in the area.

Footage shared online showed the bus completely consumed by fire, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky as motorists slowed down or sought alternative routes to avoid the scene.

While no injuries or loss of life were reported, the incident caused a heavy traffic buildup extending from Adekunle towards Iyana Oworo.

“A high-capacity bus is currently on fire on the Third Mainland Bridge by Adekunle, inward Iyana Oworo, and this is impacting traffic flow,” LASTMA stated.

“Our personnel are on ground managing traffic, while efforts are ongoing to extinguish the fire,” the agency added.

Subsequent updates indicated that officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and worked to control the blaze to prevent further damage.

Traffic officers were also deployed to redirect vehicles away from the affected area as emergency responders tackled the situation.

As of the time this report was filed, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.