Police Hunt For APC Gang As Boy, 14, Is Killed Trying To Save His Mum From Political Thugs Who Shot Man In Osun… Gov Adeleke Grieving Visits Family
A young boy, Ezekiel Olapade, aged 14, has been gunned down by while trying to rescue his mother from suspected political thugs in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.
Governor Ademola Adeleke on Monday visited the bereaved family.
Eyewitnesses and police said the thugs were led by one Saheed, alias Tanfeani, a figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The incident happened around 3pm on Sunday when the hoodlums, opened fire at a palm wine shop belonging to the victim’s mother located opposite the local government secretariat.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of Osun police command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the perpetrators were at large, adding that the police had launched a manhunt for them.
He said, “The incident happened this afternoon, adjacent Irepodun Local Government Secretariat.
“One Saheed, alias Tanfeani, came with other thugs and started shooting. In the process, the bullet hit Ezekiel Olapade, and he died at the spot,” the police statement said.
Police also confirmed that another person was hit by a bullet and was receiving treatment in the hospital, adding that the identity of the second victim was yet to be established.
“The suspected perpetrator of that act is still at large,” the police said, adding that a manhunt had been launched to arrest those involved.
In a video, the victim’s father alleged that the attackers arrived in a branded vehicle of one of the gubernatorial candidates in the state.
“I was at my wife’s shop with my son and some customers when the thugs in an AMBO-branded vehicle came,” he said.
“Initially, they attempted to enter the council, but when they saw a man putting on a yellow cap at my wife’s shop, they directed their shot at the shop. The man wearing the yellow cap was shot, and he is now at the hospital.”
The father said everyone at the scene, including his wife and son, ran for safety.
“But my wife fell, and my son had to go back to rescue her. It was in that process that he was shot. I did not even know that he had been shot. I thought he ran away like others, and it was after searching for him for hours that I got a hint that he had died, and he was inside the bush,” he added.
He alleged that one of the attackers who shot his son was “Saheed Tanfeani” and that the assailants were about six in number.
Narrating his visit, Governor Ademola Adeleke tweeted:
“Today, I visited the family of late Ezekiel Olapade, a 14 years old boy who was gruesomely murdered by the opposition’s political thugs and also met with survivors of the Sunday attack. My heart goes out to the bereaved family and all those affected by this senseless act of violence. No life should be lost because of politics, and I pray that God grants the family the strength to bear this painful loss.
“Let it be clear: Osun people cannot be intimidated, silenced, or forced into submission through violence. Those who seek power must do so through the ballot, not through bloodshed. No amount of brigandry can diminish the resolve of our people or weaken our collective commitment to democracy and peaceful coexistence.
“Again, I have directed security agencies to ensure that those responsible are arrested and prosecuted. Justice must prevail. We will continue to stand for peace, defend the rights of our people, and remain focused on delivering good governance. By the grace of God and with the support of the people, we shall overcome every challenge and move Osun forward together to the highest possible level.”
