Gunshots rang out in Osogbo when suspected hoodlums attacked the convoy of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke shortly after his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.

The governor had just concluded a meeting with the traditional ruler and was leaving the palace premises when the calm atmosphere was shattered by sustained gunfire. Witnesses said Adeleke had already boarded the bus conveying him and his close aides when the shooting began.

According to accounts from the scene, the attackers arrived in an unregistered vehicle through the Ita Olokan axis of the city. Almost immediately, they opened fire in the direction of the convoy, prompting a swift response from the governor’s security detail.

The exchange of gunfire reportedly lasted between 12 and 15 minutes, during which security operatives attached to the governor engaged the assailants in a bid to secure the area and evacuate their principal. Residents and traders around the palace and adjoining streets fled for safety as the sound of gunshots echoed across the neighbourhood.

The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the incident and described the attackers as hoodlums. He said the governor’s security team successfully repelled the assault and ensured that no life was lost.

Alimi stressed that the convoy was attacked within the vicinity of the Ataoja’s palace but maintained that the situation was brought under control by the combined efforts of security personnel on ground. He added that the governor was safely escorted away from the scene.

An eyewitness, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the meeting between Adeleke and Oba Oyetunji had appeared cordial and uneventful until the governor stepped out to depart. The witness recounted that the first shots caused confusion, with people initially unsure of the source of the gunfire before realising an attack was underway.

The confrontation threw the area into chaos, as shops were hurriedly locked and roadside activities abruptly halted. Many residents reportedly remained indoors for hours afterward, fearing a resurgence of violence.

Security sources indicated that an investigation is underway to identify those behind the attack and determine whether it was politically motivated or the work of criminal gangs exploiting the tense atmosphere.