Father shares heartbreak after son was killed in Ilobu

Father of 14-year-old Ezekiel Olapade has shared how his son was shot dead near the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu, Osun State. Gbenga Olapade said hoodlums attacked people sitting at his wife's bar on Saturday evening.

Olapade spoke to his son less than 30 minutes before the shooting. He noted that police officers were close by and watched as hoodlums, led by Saheed Tanfeani, opened fire on people at the entrance of the Irepodun LG Secretariat.

PUNCH Metro reports that Ezekiel died in the attack. Another person, who wore a yellow fez cap, was injured during the shooting at the palm wine bar.

Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums, led by Saheed, spotted a man in a political party cap sitting in a pub opposite the council gate. This pub is owned by the mother of the deceased.

The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident. He said, "The incident happened this afternoon close to the entrance of Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu. One Saheed, alias Tanfeani, came with other thugs and started shooting. In the process, the bullet hit Ezekiel Olapade, and he died at the spot. He was aged 14 years."

On Monday, Olapade spoke with our correspondent in Osogbo. He is from Ogbomoso but has lived in Ilobu since 1996. He said he was listening to a radio programme when he heard the shooting at the entrance of the Irepodun LG Secretariat.

“I am the father of the 14-year-old boy killed by political hoodlums in Ilobu on Sunday. I have five children, but two of them are dead now. Ezekiel is my last child, and he just finished his JSS 3 exams.

“My wife sells palm wine opposite the LGA secretariat in Ilobu. I helped her get the palm wine she wanted to sell yesterday. When I got to the shop, some customers, including a resident of Ifon who wore a yellow cap, came around.

“Minutes later, some thugs who came to the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government in a branded AMBO vehicle started shooting. Everyone ran for their lives. My wife lost her balance and fell.

My son heard that his mother had fallen and went back to help her. The hoodlums were aiming at the man with the yellow fez cap when my son was shot. I was the one who rescued the man with the yellow cap and took him to a pharmacy in Ilobu, not knowing that my own son had been shot dead,” Olapade said.

Olapade alleged that the attack was led by Saheed Tanfeani, an indigene of Ilobu. He learned his son was hit when his wife called to say they could not find Ezekiel after the chaos.

Olapade said, “I want Nigerians to come to my rescue. I don’t have anybody. I want justice. I still spoke with my son around 3:30 p.m. before the incident happened. Police officers were around the local government council when it happened. They saw the thugs shoot without taking action.

“It was the same police officers who took away Ezekiel’s dead body after the thugs left the scene.”

Saheed Tanfeani, mentioned as the gang leader, denied involvement in a video posted by a Facebook user, David Olufunsho Fagbohungbe Gfod. He claimed he was not in Ilobu when the incident happened and was in Osogbo.

Saheed said, “I knew nothing about yesterday’s incident that happened in Ilobu. I am not a killer. I have never killed anybody before. I was in Osogbo throughout yesterday, and what I heard was that it was the Amotekun operatives who went there. Those who killed the boy were members of the Accord Party, and they were only trying to frame me up.”

Meanwhile, the Director-General of The Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, has called for the redeployment of Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan. He said the police boss was no longer capable of protecting the state.

Speaking to journalists in Osogbo, Oyewumi, who was with the father of the deceased, Gbenga Olapade, said criminals are getting bolder while the police have refused to act against them.

“For several months, we have warned that the failure of law enforcement to confront political violence would embolden criminals. Unfortunately, our fears have been justified. What happened in Ilobu is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern that has seen innocent citizens become victims of politically inspired attacks.

“The people of Osun State cannot continue to live under the threat of politically motivated killings while those responsible move about freely. We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, to order the arrest of Saheed ‘Tanfeani’ and everyone connected with this crime. We also demand a thorough investigation into all reported incidents of political violence across Osun State.”

Oyewumi expressed a lack of confidence in the Osun State Police Command under Gotan. He said the ongoing political violence and perception of selective law enforcement have damaged public trust in the police.

He added, “The continued stay of Mr Ibrahim Gotan as Commissioner of Police in Osun State is dangerous and harmful to public confidence and security. We call on the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy him from Osun State and investigate the failures of law enforcement under his watch.”