Fresh concerns over security in Osun State have emerged after a 14-year-old boy was shot dead in Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government Area of the stat on Sunday afternoon, an incident that has renewed allegations of politically motivated violence.
The killing comes amid growing political tensions in the state ahead of the 15 August governorship election and follows recent calls by civil society organisations for the redeployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, over allegations of partisanship.
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A video of the aftermath of the shooting circulated on social media and was later aired by Arise Television. In the footage, the father of the deceased while bitterly crying accused a man identified as Saheed Tanfeani of leading the group of six armed men responsible for the attack.
Speaking through tears, the grieving father alleged that the attackers arrived in vehicles branded with the campaign colours of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as “AMBO.”
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“It is Saheed Tanfeani that killed my child. He is the one that killed my child. They came with AMBO-branded vehicles. They were seven in number. I don’t know the others, but there was also a dark man with a scar on his face. It was Saheed that led them. Six of them were shooting. They killed my child,” he said.
The incident reportedly occurred in broad daylight and, according to sources, in the presence of police officers who could have prevented the incident.
PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that another victim who sustained gunshot injury in the left hand is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
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When contacted on phone, the Osun State Police Command confirmed the incident and the death of the teenager.
The command’s spokesperson said no arrests had yet been made but noted that individuals mentioned in connection with the attack had become persons of interest in its ongoing investigation.
“No arrest has been made, although some names have been mentioned and those names are on our radar. We’ll see how we can apprehend them,” the police spokesperson told PREMIUM TIMES.
“The second person that was hit on the left hand is currently receiving treatment. We hope he gets better so he can provide an eyewitness account of what happened.”
APC, Accord, Saheed Tanfeani trade blame over killing
The APC chairman in Irepodun Local Government Area, where Ilobu is located, acknowledged that the incident occurred but denied allegations linking the party to the killing, insisting that neither the party nor its members were involved in the incident.
“Our party is not in any way connected to the incident, and the allegation leveled against one of our members, Saheed Tanfeani, is false. The person in question was not in Irepodun Local Government at the time the unfortunate incident occurred,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations in a video, Mr Tanfeani, accused by the slain boy’s father of being the leader of the gang who killed his son, also denied involvement in the killing, said allegations were targeted to frame him.
“Everything that happened in Ilobu yesterday, I know nothing about it. I am not a killer and I have never killed anyone. Throughout yesterday, I was in Osogbo,” he said.
Mr Tanfeani alleged that members of the Accord Party were behind the incident and had falsely accused him of involvement.
“It is the Accord Party that lied against me. They are the ones accusing me. I know nothing about the incident,” he said.
He also rained curses on the killer of the boy and those that lied against him.
However, the Imole Campaign Council, the political campaign organisation backing Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election bid, maintained its allegations against Mr Tanfeani.
Addressing a press conference, the Director-General of the council, Kamarudeen Oyewumi, said the deceased teenager, identified was neither a member of any political party nor involved in any confrontation before he was killed.
Mr Oyewumi claimed that the boy was shot while attempting to rescue his mother after she fell while fleeing from what he described as sporadic gunfire allegedly unleashed by Mr Tanfeani and his associates.
“In that courageous attempt to save his mother, the young boy paid the ultimate price with his life. Tanfeani and his gang shot him in the head and the innocent youngster died on the spot,” Mr Oyewumi alleged.
The campaign council condemned the killing and extended condolences to the victim’s family.
“The Imole Campaign Council unequivocally condemns this barbaric act. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Olalade family and all peace-loving people of Osun State who continue to endure the consequences of politically motivated violence,” the statement said.
Mr Oyewumi called on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those responsible for the killing.
“We also demand a comprehensive investigation into all reported incidents of political violence across Osun State with a view to bringing every perpetrator, sponsor and collaborator to justice, irrespective of status or political affiliation,” he said.
Earlier this month, a coalition under the Network of Osun Civil Society Groups staged a protest in Osogbo, demanding the redeployment of Commissioner Gotan.
READ ALSO: Governor Adeleke launches re-election campaign, receives Omisore’s supporters
The protesters accused the police command of failing to maintain neutrality in politically sensitive matters and warned that public confidence in the electoral process could be undermined if concerns about security and impartiality were not addressed.
Dismissing the allegations, the police command denied allegations of bias and maintained that it remained committed to protecting lives and property without political consideration.
However, Sunday’s killing is likely to further fuel concerns over security in the state, particularly as political parties intensify campaigns across local communities.
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