Hunter Shoots Man Dead In Iwo

The police have confirmed the arrest of a hunter, who allegedly shot dead a resident of Iwo in Osun State in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to sources, the incident occurred around the Latico area of Iwo at about 3 am. 

The hunter, whose identity was not disclosed, was said to be attempting to evacuate the corpse before daybreak when a resident of the area arrived at the scene and contacted the police.

The police officers responded to the distress call from the scene and arrested the suspect.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that residents of the areas trooped out to protest the killing of the deceased. 

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, Kehinde Adeleke, said the timely intervention of security agencies stopped the protest. 

She said, “On the 2nd of April 2024, information reached the NSCDC Office, Latico Area Iwo, that a local hunter at a junction in the area around 03:00 am on Tuesday, shot a man dead.

“The hunter was believed to be planning to evacuate the corpse before daybreak. But another resident met him at the scene and alerted the police. The police arrested the hunter, which led to some boys in the area to start setting up bonfires in protest.

“The NSCDC, Iwo with other sister agencies were deployed in the area in a bid to bring the situation under control.”

Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, while confirming the incident, said an investigation team had been put in place to unravel the circumstances that led to the shooting of the deceased.

Opalola, in a statement on Tuesday, said: “The Osun State Police Command is miffed with the report/news of the shooting/killing of a man in Iwo despite continuous warnings/sensitisation of members of the public, especially hunters and other local security outfits, on the use of guns (firearms).

“The command is using this medium to appeal to members of the public, especially the family of the deceased and residents of Iwo, to remain calm and not to take the law into their hands as the command has set up a team of crack detectives to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting/killing of the man in the town.”

Opalola, who said the suspect had been identified, arrested, and was in police custody, cautioned members of the public, especially hunters and other local security outfits, against firearm misuse, urging them to abide by the rules governing the use of arms to avoid killing innocent citizens.