A chieftain of the Accord Party in Osun State, Olalekan Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir, has reportedly been shot dead in Ile-Ife following a violent clash over control of a motor park.
Ajagungbade was reportedly attacked at a meeting involving some commercial drivers around Mayfair, Ile-Ife, on Sunday afternoon.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the incident, said security operatives received a distress call at about 1:25 p.m. following a violent confrontation at the location.
According to the source, Ajagungbade and members of his group were allegedly involved in a confrontation with a rival group led by a man identified as Sibi when gunshots were fired.
“At about 1:25 p.m., we received a distress call that there was chaos around Mayfair, Ile-Ife. Olamilekan, popularly called Emir, was shot at Mayfair Motor Park,” the source said.
The source added that the confrontation was allegedly linked to a leadership struggle over the control of the motor park.
“We were told that Ajagungbade and his men were fighting with one man identified as Sibi. It was during the fight that Ajagungbade was shot in the head. It was a leadership tussle over control of the motor park,” the source added.
A video circulating on social media purportedly showed the deceased lying face down inside a vehicle in a pool of blood.
The source further disclosed that police operatives had taken over the Mayfair Motor Park following the incident.
He also claimed that the vehicle conveying Sibi and his associates crashed after they allegedly fled the scene.
“After escaping from the scene of the fight, the vehicle conveying Sibi and his men was involved in an accident. The car ran into an 18-seater bus along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway,” he said.
The violence was said to have subsequently spread to other parts of Ile-Ife, raising tension in the ancient town.
Meanwhile, gunshots were reportedly heard in some parts of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, shortly after news of Ajagungbade’s death circulated. The development reportedly caused some residents to remain indoors for fear of being caught in the violence.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Osun State Police Command were unsuccessful as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, were unanswered, while messages sent to him had yet to receive a response as of the time of filing this report.
The circumstances surrounding the killing, the identity of those responsible, and the extent of casualties remain unclear, while security operatives are expected to investigate the incident.
