By Our Reporter
The lingering Obaship tussle in Oluke community, located in Ewekoro Local government of Ogun State took a violent turn as some suspected hoodlums at the weekend shot two local chiefs and killed a member of the So-Safe-Corps, the Ogun State Security Outfit.
The community has long been in crisis on who should be the traditional ruler of the town, with a series of petition written against Adeola Isha, whose his installation a lot of the residents opposed.
The indigenes of the community had, through Mr Michael Raji of Olusegun Raji Chambers, written a petition to Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, with copy forwarded to Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on alleged threats to their lives and properties by Isha and his supporters.
‘We are solicitors to the indigenes and residents of Oluke town, Ewekoro local government area, Ogun State. We are reliably informed by our clients that being the indigenes and children of Oluke town, they have been experiencing a lot of threats from one Oba Ishau Adeola, Kabiru, Shakiru, Bantale, Kola, Nosiru Owoeye and their cohorts who have been terrorizing their community for over 15 years without any lawful and moral justification’, the petition stated.
‘It is imperative to bring to your notice that Ishau Adeola was introduced to our clients by one Kabiru as a surveyor whose service was thereafter engaged to work as a surveyor on their vast land and since Ishau Adeola was given the job, there has been no peace and tranquility in the Oluke town with his act of terrorism and unlawful behaviours in the Oluke community’.
The development, however, took a frightening dimension on Thursday evening when gunmen launched attack on some local chiefs (Bales) returning from a meeting. The attack is believed to the related to the polarization between supporters of the monarch and some Baales who were contesting the authenticity and emergence of Adeola as the rightful owner of the royal seat.
The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the attack, adding that two of the local chiefs were shot, and an officer of the So-Safe-Corps, who arrived the scene to curb the attack was killed by the hoodlums
‘The Divisional Police Officer received a distress call on 18/4/24 at about 1600hrs from Obalade ABULE OBA village via Oluke in Ewekoro, Ogun State, that five unknown gunmen emerged from the bush and opened fire on some Bales returning from council of Baale meeting’, Odutola said.
The police spokesperson stated that as a result of the attack by the suspected hoodlums, the Baales sustained gun shot, adding that the victims had been hospitalised
‘As a result, one Saibu Rasaq ‘ M’, Baale Keleu village and Sesi Odunjo’ m’, Baale Abule Oko village sustained gunshot injuries on their shoulder and head. They also reported that two of their vehicles were sprayed with bullets’, she added
Odutola said immediately on the receipt of the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer led patrol team to the scene of the shooting incident where the two victims were rushed to a nearby specialist hospital for treatment.
‘In an unfortunate twist, one Kusika Benjamin ‘m’ aged 50yrs, a So-Safe Officer attached to Lufodo along Oluke, on hearing about the shooting incident and attack on the Bales, he rushed to the bush with two other So-Safe Corps personnel unarmed, in a bid to chase after the hoodlums, unknowingly ran into the hoodlums who suddenly opened fire on the said Kusika Benjamin’, she stated.
The DPO rushed him to Ifo hospital where he was certified dead by duty.
She said the family of the deceased insisted on taking his corpse to his hometown in Benin Republic for burial against police advice for autopsy, adding that no valuables were taken from the injured Bales, as the witnesses around said they could not understand the languages the gunmen spoke, stressing that effort was ongoing to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested.
