The town of Ido Ayegunle in Osun State turned into a scene of horror on Thursday, June 19, 2025, after a brutal attack by gunmen left four people dead and several homes in ruins. The small community, located near Esa Oke, was thrown into mourning as families woke up to bloodshed and destruction.
The Obanla of Ido Ayegunle, Chief Ibironke Adebusuyi, who spoke with newsmen shortly after the incident, noted that the attackers stormed the community around 10 am, riding motorcycles and wearing masks.
Despite their faces being covered, he claimed that some of them were recognised by locals. “Our people were in the community yesterday, going about their normal activities when hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded our community. They started shooting. They covered their faces but we could recognise some of them,” he said.
According to Chief Adebusuyi, the attackers carried out gruesome killings, beheading one victim and severing the wrist of another.
He said, “They came from the Esa Oke axis, arriving on motorcycles around 10 am. They surrounded our community and killed four people in a brutal manner. They cut the head off one of them and the wrist of another. After killing them, they threw their bodies inside a well and used big stones and slabs to cover them. All those killed were from Ido Ayegunle.”
The victims’ bodies were later taken to the Wesley Guild Hospital morgue in Ilesa. He also noted that two other people remain missing.
Tension has been rising between Ido Ayegunle and Esa Oke since January 2025, following the appointment of Prince Oluwatimileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido Ayegunle. Locals say the leadership dispute has caused ongoing friction between both communities.
When reached for comment, the Owamiran of Esa Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, denied any involvement from his people.
“I know nothing about the incident,” he said. The monarch was seen later that day at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo, where he reportedly met with the State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan.
Providing more details, the state police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, noted that the violence was a continuation of earlier clashes tied to boundary issues.
“It is a continuation of the previous clash; the people have not relented,” he said. “As of yesterday (Thursday), when it happened, the police swung into action. Our men went to the scene, but the perpetrators fled when they saw the police.”
Ojelabi confirmed that four lives were lost, adding that the delay in getting medical help might have contributed to the fatalities. He also noted that houses were set ablaze and several valuable items, including motorcycles, generators, and even streetlights, were destroyed.
