At least four people have been confirmed dead, with numerous others injured, following a violent attack on the Ido-Ayegunle community in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State.
The assault took place on the evening of Thursday, June 19, 2025, leaving the once peaceful community shaken and many residents displaced.
The attackers, described as yet-to-be-identified gunmen, stormed the town armed with guns, broken bottles, cutlasses, knives, and other dangerous weapons, unleashing brutal violence on the residents. Several homes were set ablaze during the attack, forcing many inhabitants to flee their properties in search of safety.
An eyewitness, Adebayo Olaide alleged that the assailants came from the neighboring Esa-Oke community. He suggested that the attack was directly linked to a longstanding and unresolved land dispute between Ido-Ayegunle and Esa-Oke. According to him, the invasion was marked by extreme brutality, with some residents abducted, others thrown into a well, and many seriously injured during the chaos.
Authorities confirmed that four victims retrieved from a well in the community were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Rescue operations had been hampered, but security personnel promptly responded after the attack.
The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Zachariah Abiodun, confirmed the incident from Osogbo, noting that relative calm had since been restored to the area. He stated that no arrests had yet been made at the time of reporting but assured that the perpetrators would be identified and brought to justice.
“The violence erupted as a result of the ongoing boundary dispute between the Esa-Oke and Ido-Ayegunle communities,” Abiodun explained. “Upon receiving information about the attack, our personnel moved in swiftly. By the time we arrived, several houses had already been set on fire and many lives lost. The perpetrators fled into the bush when they sighted the police.”
He added, “Our personnel heard voices coming from one of the wells, but rescue efforts were delayed. Unfortunately, four people brought out from the well later died at the hospital. We have since deployed security officers to maintain peace and order in the community.”
The State Commissioner of Police personally visited the affected area to conduct an on-the-spot assessment and ensure that adequate measures are in place to restore lasting peace. Efforts are ongoing to prevent further escalation of tensions between the communities involved.
Residents remain deeply traumatized by the attack, with many calling for urgent intervention to resolve the boundary dispute peacefully and prevent future violence.