Osun: AIG orders fresh probe into alleged attack in Oke-Oba as police fail to produce suspects

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 11, Bassey Samuel Ewah, has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged assault, attempted murder and disruption of farming activities involving three elderly women and a palm fruit tapper in Iwo, Osun State.

The AIG also directed the investigation team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), X-Squad, to submit a detailed report on the incident by next Friday.

The directive followed a meeting between the complainants, their legal representative, the police and counsel to the accused persons at the Zone 11 headquarters on Friday.

The suspects were not present at the meeting, while the police investigation team disclosed that it was yet to visit the scene of the alleged incident since the suspects were taken from the Amotekun Corps in the state.

Speaking during the engagement, Jide Obisakin, Director of Litigation and Advisory Services, Osun State, who accompanied the complainants, said the dispute involved farmland in Oke Oba, Iwo, allegedly invaded by some men from Iyana Offa, Oyo State.

Obisakin acknowledged the existence of a longstanding boundary dispute between Osun and Oyo states in the area but maintained that the complainants’ position was that the farmland where the incident occurred was not within the disputed buffer zone.

He stressed the need for the authorities to establish the facts surrounding the incident and the status of the land.

Recall that the case concerns an alleged attack on August 26, 2026, involving Mrs Anifat Lateef, the farm owner; Mrs Racheal Akanfe; Mrs Ester Adegboyega; and Sulaimon Bolaji, a palm fruit tapper, while they were working on the farm.

The complainants alleged that three men, identified as Fatai Balogun, Moruf Balogun and Abdullahi, invaded the farmland, with the latter reportedly still at large.

The complainants said the victims were subsequently rescued by operatives of the Osun State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, after their distress call allegedly failed to receive a timely response from the Divisional Police Officer of Adeeke Police Station, Iwo.

The two suspects were reportedly arrested and taken to the Amotekun headquarters in Osogbo on August 27 for investigation.

Meanwhile, the complainants alleged that the suspects were subsequently released after the X-Squad of Zone 11 took over the case, without a proper investigation or consultation with the victims.

They also expressed concern that the alleged release of the suspects had heightened fears among residents of Oke-Oba and surrounding communities.

The complainants said the intervention of the Zonal Public Relations Officer and other individuals eventually facilitated their appearance before the AIG.

However, the AIG directed the investigation team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the allegations and submit a comprehensive report by next Friday.

The complainants commended Ewah for his intervention, describing his handling of the matter as a development that had renewed their confidence in the police.

They expressed hope that the fresh investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that all parties are treated in accordance with the law.