08/19/2026
Gunmen Attack Governor Adeleke’s Convoy After Visit to Ataoja’s Palace
OSOGBO — Tension and panic gripped Osogbo on Wednesday afternoon after suspected armed hoodlums reportedly attacked the convoy of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.
The incident reportedly triggered a prolonged exchange of gunfire between the attackers and the governor’s security personnel, with the confrontation said to have lasted approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
Governor Adeleke had visited the Ataoja’s palace at about 3:15 p.m. as part of his engagements in Osogbo. He reportedly arrived with a convoy of about 20 vehicles after making a brief stop at the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity, the governor and his entourage were warmly received by the monarch. However, the situation reportedly changed dramatically as the visit was coming to an end.
The eyewitness said Governor Adeleke had left the main hall through a private exit and boarded his official bus when heavy gunshots suddenly rang out.
«“He was already in the bus that brought him and his close aides to the palace when we started hearing heavy gunshots,” the eyewitness said.»
The source alleged that the attackers arrived in an unregistered Sienna space bus through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo. According to the eyewitness, gunfire was exchanged between the suspected hoodlums and the governor’s security personnel before the attackers eventually fled.
The shooting reportedly caused widespread panic in the area, forcing residents, pedestrians and business owners to seek safety.
A trader near the palace, identified as Munirat, said the incident appeared to have been planned. She claimed the suspected attackers may have been waiting for the governor’s convoy to leave the palace.
“They came in a Sienna space bus. They even damaged the main gate to the palace,” she reportedly said, adding that the attackers fired toward the gate before security personnel pushed them back.
The violence reportedly brought commercial activities in the area to an immediate halt, with traders abandoning their shops and wares as they sought safety.
Munirat further claimed that another exchange of gunfire occurred near the Osogbo Central Mosque before the attackers escaped toward Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road.
Following the incident, the Osun State Government moved to reassure residents that Governor Adeleke was safe.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed that the governor’s convoy had been attacked and said security personnel successfully repelled the assailants.
According to Alimi, the governor was unharmed and no casualty was recorded.
“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty was recorded,” the commissioner stated.
Despite the government’s assurance, the incident reportedly left residents shaken, with heightened security activity continuing around parts of Osogbo. Some traders and business owners reportedly closed their businesses early as security personnel patrolled the affected areas.
The circumstances surrounding the attack, including the identity and motive of the suspected attackers, remain subject to further investigation by security authorities.
