Suspected hoodlums exchanged fire with security personnel near the Ataoja’s palace as the governor visited the monarch after receiving his Certificate of Return
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, in Osogbo on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, was disrupted by gunfire after suspected hoodlums exchanged shots with security personnel near the palace shortly after the governor received his Certificate of Return.
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Adeleke had arrived at the monarch’s palace at about 3:15pm in a motorcade of roughly 20 vehicles, following his visit to the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, where he received the certificate confirming his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
During the palace visit, Adeleke reportedly presented his Certificate of Return to Oba Oyetunji, who received the governor and his entourage.
The situation became tense as the visit was winding down, with reports that gunmen travelling in an unregistered Sienna space bus opened fire in the vicinity.
Security personnel attached to the governor responded, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that reportedly lasted between 12 and 15 minutes.
The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear as of Wednesday evening.
Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the incident but said the initial assessment suggested it may have involved rival cult groups rather than a targeted attack on the governor.
In a separate account, Alimi said the governor’s security personnel repelled the attackers and that no casualty was recorded.
This differs from some early reports describing the incident as an attack on Adeleke’s convoy.
Other accounts from sources close to the governor said the shooting was a cult-related clash that occurred near the palace while Adeleke was still within the premises, rather than an attack directed at him.
The conflicting accounts have made the precise trigger and intended target of the shooting difficult to establish.
Eyewitness accounts said the gunfire caused considerable panic around the palace, with traders and residents reportedly abandoning their shops and seeking shelter as the shooting continued.
One eyewitness told reporters that the assailants arrived through the Ita Olokan area in an unregistered Sienna vehicle.
Another account alleged that the attackers fired towards the palace entrance before security personnel pushed them back. Those claims had not been independently verified.
There was no immediate confirmation of arrests by the Osun State Police Command, while the command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, was reportedly unavailable for comment.
The incident came on a politically significant day for Adeleke.
Earlier on Wednesday, the governor used his Certificate of Return presentation to announce a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund for people affected by violence surrounding the August 15 election.
He also announced that children and dependants of people killed during the electoral violence would receive scholarships through university level.
Adeleke said the interventions would be humanitarian rather than partisan, promising that verified victims would not be excluded because of their political affiliation.
The fresh gunfire in Osogbo therefore cast a sobering shadow over a day that had otherwise centred on Adeleke’s renewed mandate and his call for political reconciliation.
It also underscored continuing concerns over violence and the presence of armed groups in parts of Osun, even as the governor begins his renewed term.
For now, authorities face the task of establishing what triggered the shooting, identifying those responsible and determining whether the incident was a cult clash, an attack on the governor’s security detail or another form of criminal confrontation.
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What is clear is that the Osogbo gunfire disrupted a high-profile visit by the newly re-elected governor and caused fear among residents and businesses around one of the city’s prominent traditional institutions.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
