Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State came under attack by suspected hoodlums in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, with security personnel attached to his convoy engaging the assailants in a gun battle.
The incident occurred shortly after Adeleke left the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, where he had visited the monarch after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers arrived in an unregistered Sienna bus through the Ita Olokan area and opened fire around the palace as the governor was preparing to leave.
The shooting reportedly lasted between 12 and 15 minutes, causing panic among traders, residents and other people in the vicinity, many of whom fled their businesses and sought shelter.
An eyewitness said Adeleke had already entered his official vehicle with some close aides when the gunshots began.
According to her, the governor’s security personnel immediately responded, engaging the attackers and preventing them from advancing towards the convoy.
The witness added that the assailants also fired at the palace’s main gate and reportedly damaged part of it before they were pushed back by security operatives.
A trader near the palace, identified as Munirat, said the attackers may have been aware of Adeleke’s visit and had positioned themselves in the area ahead of his arrival.
She said the gunmen later engaged the governor’s security team near the Osogbo Central Mosque before fleeing towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road.
The incident came shortly after Adeleke visited the Ataoja following his appearance at the Osun State INEC headquarters, where he received his Certificate of Return after securing victory in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
Confirming the incident, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the attackers as hoodlums and said the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled them.
“They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” Alimi said.
No casualty was reported in the attack.