Two killed as cultists engage police in gun duel

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Two persons were reportedly shot dead on Friday during a gun duel between policemen and suspected cultists in Osogbo, Osun State.  A cult group was said to have mobilized to rescue their colleague who was allegedly held hostage by a rival group. The incident happened at Oke-Baale, Osogbo when allies of a suspected drug lord simply identified as Kokoro attempted to rescue him from his captors.

A source told our correspondent that Kokoro had declared his withdrawal from the cult group, a decision that was not accepted by his group.

According to the source, Kokoro said he wanted to face his drug business instead of getting involved in violence across the state. He renounced his membership.

“On Friday, his aggrieved members who are cultists kidnapped him on the bike from where he was selling drugs in the Ita-Olokan area to a secluded place but his boys mobilized and ambushed them at Oke-Baaale area to rescue him from the grip of the cultists.

The incident caused a fracas in the area. Police were called to restore peace in the area but the cultists engaged the police in a gun duel. Two of the cultists were killed,” he added.

The spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed that two persons died during the gun duel, saying “our men are working assiduously to arrest another culprit.”