One Dead, Firemen Attacked, As Mob Set Ablaze Monarch’s Palace In Osun

By Ayodele Oni

Crisis rocking installation of new monarch for Ikirun, in Osun state escalated on Wednesday as one Lukman Olatunji was reportedly shot dead near the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Olalekan Akadiri, during a fight.

The palace building was not spared as a section of it was set on fire by some suspected arsonists during the incident.

An elder brother of the deceased, Tajudeen Gboleru, who spoke to newsmen, alleged that his brother was shot dead when some security men attempted to enter the Akinrun’s palace.

The palace had been under lock since Oba Akadiri was installed as the Akinrun, with dissenting voices in the town calling for a reversal of his appointment and installation.

It was further gathered that Wednesday’s incident was triggerred  when an attempt was made to unlock the palace.

Speaking further on the circumstances surrounding the incident, Gboleru said, “A person trying to enter the palace had come to the area with a lot of policemen and soldiers. One of the security men must have fired the shot.”

Since the announcement of Akadiri as the new monarch, the community has been engulfed in crisis as his appointment did not receive the blessing of kingmakers.

There was an attempt earlier by the new monarch to enter the palace but was chased away by angry mob.

Some firemen from the Osun State Fire Service were injured on their way to put out a fight at the Palace of Akinrun after an attack on the premises by suspected arsonists.

The Public Relations Officer of the service, Ibrahim Adekunle, said those injured were rushed to hospital for treatment, adding that the firemen who responded to a distress call from the palace, had to abandon their truck after they were attacked.