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Suspected political thugs have allegedly attacked the palace of the Aree of Iree, Oba Muritala Oyelakin, less than 24 hours before the Osun State governorship election.
The monarch said the incident occurred around 2am on Friday when two Sienna vehicles arrived at the palace and their occupants fired shots into the air before shooting at the palace gate.
Oyelakin said the attackers appeared to have been deterred from gaining access to the premises after noticing that the palace was illuminated and people were inside observing prayers.
According to the monarch, he repeatedly switched the lights off and on after sighting the vehicles in an attempt to alert those around him and discourage the attackers.
“The attack occurred around 2 a.m.; the lights were on at the time because I was in a prayer session, with some people still present on the premises,” he said.
“I saw two Sienna vehicles; one of the assailants first shot into the air before firing at the gate. I repeatedly switched the lights off and on to give the impression that people were present and scared the attackers away.”
The incident comes as political activities intensify across Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with heightened concerns over the safety of residents, political actors and election personnel.
The Aree expressed concern over the attack and urged security agencies to establish the identities of those behind it and bring them to justice.
The alleged attack on the traditional ruler’s palace adds to security concerns ahead of the poll, with the monarch calling for a thorough investigation into the incident.
