In Okanla community, located in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State, a tragic event unfolded on Sunday. The palace of the Olokanla of Okanla was attacked by a group of armed men, resulting in the death of Ibrahim Qudus, who was seeking admission, and the subsequent burning of the palace.
Jimoh Qadri, the uncle of the deceased, shared details of the incident. He revealed that the attackers, led by a man named Naim, targeted the palace. Naim was the only one among them who did not cover his face. Qadri was unable to provide a specific motive for the attack, but he explained that the assailants initially went to his own house, where they did not find him. They then proceeded to his late father's house, which served as the palace.
Qadri's wife informed him that around 20 gunmen had stormed their house early on Sunday. While most of the attackers concealed their faces, Naim was identifiable. It appeared that they were searching for Qadri. Failing to locate him, they vandalized the building and continued to the family house, where they encountered Qudus, Qadri's nephew. Qudus, who had recently returned from Ibadan after taking the university entrance examination (UTME), was killed by the assailants. They placed his body in Qadri's car, which was parked on the premises, and set both the vehicle and the palace on fire.
Although Qadri could not determine a specific reason for the attack, he speculated that it might be linked to a land dispute in the area. He appealed to the security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the crime.
The Osun Police Command, through spokesperson Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident. Commissioner of Police Kehinde Longe visited the scene, and additional police officers have been deployed to the area to prevent further violence.