Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
Two civilians were reportedly killed while two police officers sustained serious injuries when suspected political thugs attacked a police patrol team on the Ibadan-Ife expressway in Osun State.
The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. on August 24, 2026, when the patrol team attached to the Ikire Division, accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer, was responding to a distress call over the alleged abduction of a man identified simply as Sunkanmi.
According to the Osun State Police Command, the officers came under sudden attack shortly after arriving at the location.
The assailants reportedly opened fire on the police officers while they were in their operational vehicle and succeeded in snatching one of the officers’ AK-47 service rifles.
The Command said the attackers subsequently used the stolen rifle to fire indiscriminately, killing two civilians in the process.
The deceased were identified as 49-year-old Nurení Sobowale of Odeda Area, Abeokuta, and 43-year-old Saheed Akinrole of Adeagbo Compound, Ikire.
The two injured police officers were initially rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment before being referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for further medical attention.
The police patrol vehicle was also reportedly taken away by the assailants during the attack.
The vehicle was later abandoned and recovered by the police, with multiple bullet holes and a shattered windscreen.
Nine expended ammunition shells were recovered from the scene and secured for forensic analysis as part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The remains of the two civilians have been deposited at the Oluyoro Catholic Mortuary, while their families have been notified of the incident.
The attack came shortly after the newly deployed Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, assumed duty in the state.
The commissioner, upon resumption, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and directed an immediate investigation into the incident.
Zungura ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to lead a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying and apprehending those responsible for the attack.
He also directed the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence assets to the affected area to track down the perpetrators and recover any other police weapon or property taken during the incident.
The Police Command described the attack as unprovoked, and condemned what it called the senseless loss of innocent lives.
It urged residents of the state, particularly those living around the affected axis, to remain calm and vigilant while security operatives intensify efforts to restore normalcy.
The Command appealed to members of the public with credible information that could assist in identifying or locating the attackers to report to the nearest police station.
It also assured residents that necessary security measures were being deployed to protect lives and property on the Ibadan-Ife expressway and other parts of the state.
The Command said the outcome of the investigation would be made public in due course.
The latest incident added to the security concerns confronting the state in the aftermath of the August 15 governorship election, with the new police leadership facing the immediate task of strengthening security and restoring public confidence in the Command.