Osun: Gunmen kill, burn admission seeker, raze palace

• The assailants were said to be after one Jimoh Qadri but resorted to killing the deceased who was Qadri’s nephew when they could not get hold of him (quadri)

At least one person was killed when some mask-wearing gunnmen invaded the palace of Olokanla of Okanla in Osun state.

The tragedy happened on Sunday in Okanla community in Irepodun Local Government Area of the South West State.

The assailants were said to be after one Jimoh Qadri but resorted to killing the deceased who was Qadri’s nephew when they could not get hold of him (quadri).

The remains of the deceased, who was an admission seeker, was then put in Quadri’s car and burnt.

The attackers were led by a man identified simply as Naim, who was the only one among the attackers whose face was bare during the incident, Qadri told Punch.

Qadri, who could not point out the reasons for the attack, said it may not be unconnected to a land tussle that involves him.

He said, “I was not at home, but my wife called me that gunmen numbering about 20 had stormed my house in Okanla area very early on Sunday. She told me they all covered their faces, but one of them bearing Naim did not cover his face and my wife saw him. The attackers were after me and they searched around the house.

“When they could not find me around, they vandalised the building and proceeded to my family house, where my late father, Olokanla of Okanla used as his palace. It was there they saw Qudus, a son to my elder brother, who was living in Ibadan, until he recently returned home to seek university admission, after writing UTME.

“He was killed and they put his corpse in my car parked within the premises and set the vehicle ablaze. They also set the palace ablaze. The reason behind the attack is not known to me. But it may not be unconnected to the tussle over land in our area. The family is pleading with the security agencies to ensure the perpetrators of this crime are apprehended.”

The Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who said the Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe, had visited the scene of the crime, added that more operatives had been deployed to the area.

“Someone was burnt with a car around Okanla, the area is between Ifon and Ilobu. We have deployed our men to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order. The Commissioner of Police has visited the scene,” Opalola stated