Two persons were confirmed dead by the police on Friday in Osogbo, Osun State, in clashes involving suspected members of rival cult groups.
The incident reportedly occurred at a lounge in Owoeba, a community in Osogbo, located along the Osogbo/Ilesa Road, where the deceased were attacked by some yet-to-be-identified assailants around 5pm.
In the pictures obtained by The PUNCH, one of the deceased had an open wound on his head, as he lay lifeless in a pool of blood.
A resident of Owoeba, who craved anonymity for security reasons, told our correspondent on the phone, “We heard gunshots and noise in the afternoon. The deceased was with some people drinking when the assailants arrived. They were in a lounge.
“They engaged in fight before the two men were eventually subdued and killed. One of them was hit on the head by the assailants. He died on the spot. Another man was also shot by the assailants.
“One of the deceased is called ‘Small Rugged’. We are all very scared but we later saw police van that came to the joint to park the two bodies.”
Our correspondent, who monitored the situation, also observed a police van conveying two corpses along Station Road, Osogbo, on Friday evening.
When contacted, the Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the killings, adding that the State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, had directed tactical teams to move to the area and fish out the perpetrators.
Ojelabi wrote in a message sent to our correspondent, “The command is aware of a shooting incident suspected to have been perpetrated by cult groups around Oke Baale Area osogbo.
“Two persons died at the spot. One of them is identified as ‘’Small Rugged’’. His other names are not known yet. Four other people sustained gunshot injury and have been rushed by the police to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“The CP has directed tactical teams to move out to apprehend those behind this nefarious act.”
