The Osun State Police Command has said preliminary findings indicate that Wednesday’s shooting near the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo was triggered by an attempt by suspected cult members to gain access to Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
The incident occurred during Governor Ademola Adeleke’s visit to the monarch shortly after the governor received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Davido, who is Adeleke’s nephew, had accompanied the governor to the INEC office and later to the palace.
Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the trouble began when a suspected cult member identified as Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as “Small Rugged”, allegedly attempted to approach Davido but was stopped by members of the singer’s security team.
According to Ojelabi, the confrontation subsequently attracted other suspected gang members, who allegedly blocked the palace entrance and disrupted the governor’s convoy.
The police spokesman said the confrontation escalated into a gun battle involving security personnel and the suspected gang members, causing panic among residents around Oja Oba for several minutes.
Ojelabi said a 60-year-old man, Tajudeen Yusuf, was later shot at Itaolokan in Osogbo as the suspected gang members allegedly fled the area.
He said police officers who responded to the incident rushed Yusuf to the University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where he was pronounced dead.
The police described Taoreed as an ex-convict and suspected member of the Eye confraternity, adding that efforts were underway to locate him and other suspects linked to the incident.
The Command has commenced a full investigation into the shooting and intensified efforts to arrest those involved.
The Commissioner of Police (Election), Osun Command, CP Samuel Etaifo, condemned the incident and assured residents that the police would deploy all available resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Command also appealed to members of the public with relevant information to assist investigators and urged residents to remain calm.
The police clarification contradicts Davido’s earlier account of the incident, in which the singer dismissed reports that Adeleke’s convoy had been attacked, describing it as a fight outside the palace that had nothing to do with the governor’s entourage.
