Breaking: Tension in Osun as Gunmen Attack Gov Adeleke's Convoy
- Suspected thugs opened fire on Governor Ademola Adeleke's convoy shortly after he left the Ataoja of Osogbo's palace on Wednesday
- The attack came hours after Adeleke received his Certificate of Return from INEC following his re-election as Osun governor
- Osun commissioner for information confirmed the attack, saying security personnel repelled the assailants
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Suspected thugs opened fire on the convoy of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday afternoon in Osogbo, sparking a gunfight with his security detail that lasted between 12 and 15 minutes.
The attack took place shortly after Adeleke departed the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji. The governor had arrived at the palace around 3:15 pm in a motorcade of roughly 20 vehicles, coming directly from the Osun State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), where he had collected his Certificate of Return after winning re-election.
Source: Facebook
Adeleke escaped before shooting broke out
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing security concerns, told a correspondent that Adeleke and his entourage were received by the monarch, and the governor presented his Certificate of Return to Oba Oyetunji during the visit. Trouble began as the meeting was drawing to a close, after the monarch had offered prayers.
By the time shots rang out, Adeleke had already exited the hall through a private exit used by the monarch and his wives, the eyewitness said.
A trader near the palace, identified only as Munirat, suggested the attackers may have had prior knowledge of the governor's visit and positioned themselves ahead of his arrival.
The gunfire sent residents and traders in the surrounding area into a panic. Many abandoned their shops and businesses and fled to safety as the shooting continued.
Commissioner confirms attack, no casualties reported
Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the attack when contacted. He said the governor's security operatives successfully fought off the assailants and that no casualties were recorded.
Despite Alimi's confirmation, the situation around the palace remained tense. As of 4:45 pm, when a correspondent departed the scene, intermittent gunshots were still audible in the area, and several shops had been shut by owners unwilling to risk being caught in the crossfire.
Osun 2026: APM candidate steps down for Adeleke
Legit.ng earlier reported that APM governorship candidate Adebayo Adewale pulled out of Saturday's Osun state election and threw his support behind incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke.
Adewale directed his party members and supporters across Osun to vote for Adeleke, who is seeking a second term in office.
The withdrawal came as Osun state prepared for a keenly contested poll with 14 candidates on the ballot and over 25,000 security personnel deployed.
Source: Legit.ng
