Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has alleged that the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Larooye II, was shot at by suspected political thugs who invaded his palace during recent unrest in the state capital.
Adeleke, in a post shared on Sunday, accused members of the All Progressives Congress of sponsoring the attack, claiming the monarch was targeted for endorsing his second-term bid ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
“The Ataoja of Osogbo… said he was shot at by APC thugs inside his own palace. His subjects were hit by live bullets. Kabiyesi himself was the target,” the governor wrote.
He further described the incident as an assault on the entire Osogbo community, warning that rising political violence in the state must not be ignored.
“An attack on the Ataoja is an attack on every son and daughter of Osogbo. Enough is enough. I call on the Inspector-General of Police to act urgently. Desperate politicians must be exposed and disgraced,” Adeleke added.
However, the APC had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
Monarch recounts ordeal
The monarch, while speaking at a public event in Osogbo on Saturday, confirmed that he survived an attack on his palace during a wave of violence that recently hit Osogbo and Ede.
According to him, the incident occurred on the same day gunmen reportedly shot his son, said to be a political party chairman in the state.
“On that day, some gunmen shot my son… They also attacked me in the palace that same day. But I survived the attack,” the monarch said.
He added that a suspect linked to the incident had been arrested and remanded in Ilesa, noting that efforts were ongoing to manage tensions.
The traditional ruler also appealed to political actors in the state to shun violence and embrace peaceful democratic processes.
“We shall continue to manage the issues,” he said, urging aggrieved parties to resolve disputes through the ballot.
Rising political tension
The latest development comes amid escalating political hostilities in Osun State ahead of the governorship election.
On June 4, Asimiyu Ajibola, chairman of the Accord Party in the state, was shot by gunmen in Osogbo in what was described as an assassination attempt.
Days later, opposition figures accused the Adeleke administration of deploying operatives of the state security outfit to protect private interests, an allegation the government denied.
In a counterclaim, the governor accused opposition elements of orchestrating coordinated attacks across parts of the state, further deepening the political rift.
Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the latest allegations surrounding the attack on the monarch.
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