Gunmen Engage Security Operatives in Shootout at Ataoja Palace During Adeleke’s Visit.

Gunmen Engage Security Operatives in Shootout at Ataoja Palace During Adeleke’s Visit.

OSOGBO, Osun State — Tension briefly gripped Osogbo on Wednesday as suspected hoodlums reportedly engaged security personnel attached to the convoy of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, in a gun battle at the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.

The incident occurred shortly after Governor Adeleke received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and proceeded to the monarch’s palace to celebrate his electoral victory with the traditional ruler.

According to sources familiar with the incident, the suspected hoodlums had allegedly positioned themselves around the palace in an unregistered Toyota Sienna vehicle before the governor’s arrival.

The sources said an argument reportedly broke out among some individuals in the area shortly before gunshots were heard. However, the exact cause of the altercation, as well as the identity or intended target of those involved, remained unclear at the time of filing this report.

A shop owner operating close to the palace, Laide Misture, said the shooting began only a few minutes after the governor and members of his entourage entered the palace.

“The guys were shooting from inside the main gate while the governor’s security team responded from inside the palace,” Misture said.

She added that the exchange of gunfire lasted for about three minutes and was intense enough to cause panic among people around the area.

According to her, the suspected hoodlums eventually fled the scene in the Toyota Sienna before the governor’s convoy could leave the palace.

The incident reportedly forced security personnel attached to the governor’s convoy to respond immediately to the shooting and engage the suspected attackers.

The circumstances surrounding the incident remained uncertain, as it was not immediately established whether the shooting was directly connected to the governor’s visit or whether it resulted from an unrelated dispute among the individuals who had gathered around the palace.

Confirming that gunshots were fired, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the governor’s security personnel responded after the shooting occurred.

“It is true there were gunshots when we were exiting the palace and the governor’s security team had to go and engage them. But the circumstances that led to the shooting in the first place, we do not know,” Alimi said.

The commissioner explained that officials only heard reports of an altercation between different groups outside the palace but could not immediately determine what triggered the confrontation or which groups were involved.

“We only heard that there was an altercation between some groups outside the palace, and we don’t know what caused it or which groups were involved,” he added.

No immediate official confirmation was available on whether anyone was injured or arrested in connection with the shooting.

The incident has, however, raised concerns over security around the traditional palace, particularly during a high-profile visit by the state governor following his receipt of his certificate of return.

Security authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, identify those responsible and determine whether the incident was connected to the governor’s visit or an independent clash between rival groups.

The shooting came as Governor Adeleke was celebrating his electoral victory and paying a traditional visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, turning what was expected to be a celebratory occasion into a brief scene of panic and heightened security alert in the palace area.