The Osun Police Command has denied allegations that its personnel shot at members of the public during Wednesday’s resurgence of the kingship crisis in Ikirun town.
The ongoing kingship tussle in the ancient town took a turn for the worse on Wednesday as one Lukuman Omoola, who was said to be a prince from the Gboleru Ruling House, was shot dead on Wednesday.
Also, the palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun went up in flames during the renewed crisis.
In a statement signed by the Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, the Commissioner of Police, Sunday Olaleye, disclosed that policemen were drafted to the palace to provide protection to those renovating the palace when armed hoodlums shot at them.
During the shooting, Olaleye revealed that two Police Inspectors, Obajobi Adedokun and Raji Abiodun were injured.
He also revealed that fire service personnel who were called on to put out the palace fire were attacked on their way to the palace.
According to Olaleye, “They were rushed to hospital for treatment. They set the palace ablaze and also attacked the fire brigade personnel and injured one Orunwumi Roseline and Abel Olayinka and attacked their truck while on their way to the palace to put out the fire.”
The CP, while recalling that he had held a peace meeting with the contending parties on the need to allow peace to reign in the town and the state, expressed worries that the kingship crisis erupted again on Wednesday.
“The Osun Commissioner of Police, CP Faleye S. Olaleye, psc is miffed about the Kingship crisis that erupted in Ikirun town today 23rd November, 2022 despite series of peace meetings held with the relevant stakeholders/parties over the kingship tussle since the announcement of the installation of the new Akinrun by the State Government.
“It would be recalled that yesterday 22nd November, 2022, the Commissioner of Police held another round of peace meeting with the contending parties on the need to allow peace to reign in Ikirun and the State in general, where all consented to maintain peace, but was surprised to learn about the attack on security personnel, fire brigade personnel and the burning of the Akinrun of Ikirun Palace by armed hoodlums who shot two Police officers and injured two fire service personnel.”
Meanwhile, Olaleye has charged parents and guardians to warn their wards to stop all uncivilised acts of violence and toe the path of peace and warned that anyone found culpable in the recent round of violence will face the full wrath of the law.
