‘They Came With Pump-Action Rifles’: Osun Monarch Cries Out Over Assassination Attempt In Modakeke, Accuses Rival King, Police Of Backing Attack

The assailants allegedly struck his vehicle with rifle butts in an apparent assassination attempt before he managed to flee.

The traditional ruler of the Yoruba Ojenpetu community, Oba Adeyinka Adeshina Obawale (Oluoje of Ojenpetu), has alleged an attempt on his life and the violent destruction of his residence in Modakeke, Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State.

According to an account narrated by the monarch, the attacks began on April 24, 2025, when he narrowly escaped death after being ambushed by four armed men in the Olanrewaju area of Modakeke while driving.

 

The assailants allegedly struck his vehicle with rifle butts in an apparent assassination attempt before he managed to flee.

He said, “I rented a house at Modakeke, Ife East local government and some of my people were with me while some are in Ibadan, Osogbo, Ile ife, Lagos and other Yoruba land.

 

“We were planning to start farming and building in our new location at Okuomoni land in Ife North LGA Osun state.

 

“Information reached us that Oba Joseph Toriola, the Ogunsua of Modakeke said we are Fulani.

 

“I went to him and told him that I was informed that he said I and my people are Fulani, but Oba Toriola said he didn't say so.

“On the process of our plan to move to our new location, I was attacked on the 24th of April, 2025, I narrowly escaped death while driving along the Olanrewaju Area of Modakeke when four brutally looking men attacked me by hitting and breaking the car windshield with the butts of their rifles.”

 

The monarch, who relocated with his displaced community from Gadumo in Kogi State to Osun following violent attacks by herdsmen, stated that he had secured farmland and a resettlement agreement with HRM Oba Odedoyin Michael Taiwo, the Olomoni of Okuomoni, in Ife North Local Government Area.

He emphasised that the community’s relocation was legitimate and supported by a signed legal agreement.

 

Obawale claimed the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Toriola, had allegedly been misinformed that the Ojenpetu people were Fulani and that they were relocating thousands of herders into Okuomoni.

 

Although Oba Toriola reportedly denied making such a statement in a meeting with the Oluoje, tensions reportedly escalated.

Fresh Threats and Allegations of "Death Sentence"

 

On April 28, the Modakeke youth leader, known locally as "Olowo Obinrin", allegedly informed the monarch’s aunt that a hit squad was actively hunting him.

 

He was accused of plotting to bring Fulani herdsmen into Modakeke and of supporting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, as the head of all traditional rulers—claims the Obawale strongly denies.

According to the monarch, the youth leader allegedly boasted that a "death sentence" had been passed on him and his entire family.

 

Armed Thugs Storm Monarch’s Home

 

The monarch said on May 3, 2025, a group of about 50 thugs, some reportedly armed with pump-action rifles, stormed his Modakeke residence around 10 a.m., shooting sporadically into the air and calling out his name.

 

When he did not emerge, the attackers allegedly opened fire on his vehicle and ransacked the home.

“Twenty of them were armed with 20 pump-action rifles, while others wielded other dangerous weapons. They arrived in gestapo manner at my residence, started shooting sporadically in air, calling me out all to no avail, upon which they started shooting at my car,” Obawale said.

 

Chief Attacked While Trying to Calm Mob

 

During the rampage, Akogun Ola Ajanaku, who attempted to pacify the group, was reportedly attacked with machetes and stones, sustaining head injuries that required hospitalisation.

He said attackers allegedly destroyed property including the monarch's royal crown, traditional and beaded walking sticks; household electronics; a 12kg gas cylinder; Aso-Ofi fabrics; cartons of beer; a gold chain; personal electronics, including phones and sound systems; an estimated N10 million, said to have been contributed by community members that morning for road development at their new resettlement site.

 

“They destroyed all vital documents in the apartment,” he said.

 

According to him, the attackers stole Ajanaku’s one Samsung A04S Android phone, one Samsung Galaxy A06 Android phone, one camera wristwatch, his wife's cash in the sum of N500,000, one chieftaincy cap, and one chieftaincy staff.

 

Obawale further alleged that the attackers claimed to have the backing of Oba Toriola, the Ogunsua of Modakeke, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area.

 

According to him, the DPO called the Modakeke Progressive Union (MPU) chairman, stating that he was bringing the monarch to the Ogunsua’s palace instead of to the police station, an incident he described as improper and alarming.

 

“The leader of this vicious gang claimed that they were commissioned by Oba Toriola, the Ogunsua of Modakeke and that they are untouchable,” he said.

 

“He went further to boast that they got the permission of the Divisional Police Officer in Modakeke before coming on a rampage at my residence.

 

“The DPO called the Modakeke Progressive Union Chairman, and said that he was bringing me to Ogunsua palace, he should join him there.

“Instead of him taking me to the police division, he carried me to Ogunsua palace.”

 

He identified Engr. Oladosu Moses, his landlord, as another individual who allegedly threatened him and forcibly entered his apartment, demanding compensation for the destruction and allegedly threatening to inform the attackers if he returned.

 

“Engr. Oladosu Moses, who happens to be my landlord, forced his way into my apartment and in the process, seized my standing fans and demanded that I must pay for the destruction caused by the assailants who claimed to be well known to him,” Obawale said.

He even threatened to tip off the assailants if I ever set my foot on his premises at the Power Line, Sango Ola, Modakeke, despite the subsistence of my tenancy which has not expired. I believe that he is in a good position to identify the assailants”

 

The monarch also named a suspected arms supplier to the attackers, Chief Akoki, the Iyalode of Okuomoni, whose residence he claimed is located beside St. Steven’s Primary School, Modakeke.

 

Obawale appealed to security agencies, including the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Osun State and the Head of DSS Investigations, to act swiftly to protect him, his family, and his community.

According to him, he has reported the matter to the DSS and the Osun State Police Command but alleged that those behind the attacks on him “are using their power to block the case.”

 

He called for an investigation, the prosecution of all involved, and the safeguarding of his people’s resettlement efforts.

 

He said, “I therefore hereby request that prompt action be taken with the view of investigating, prosecuting the offenders and protecting my life, family and properties.”

When SaharaReporters contacted Oba Toriola, he answered the call but immediately SaharaReporters explained the reason for the call to the monarch, he said, “I am in a meeting with some people now. Please call me in the next two hours.”

 

However, after two hours, when SaharaReporters called the monarch back as requested, he never answered the calls again till the time of filing this report.

 

Attempts to reach the youth leader, Olowo Obinrin, the Osun DSS Director, and DSS Investigations Head were also unsuccessful as they never answered several calls made to their mobile numbers.

However, when contacted, Ajanaku, one of Oba Obawale’s chiefs who was said to have been severely injured by the attackers confirmed the attempted assassination to SaharaReporters.

 

Speaking with a voice filtered with pains, Ajanaku said, “Our king (Oba Obawale) asked Oba Ogunsua to allow us to stay in that village which is Okuomoni. The day the attack happened, we went to Kabiesi's house (Oba Obawale) where he rented a house in Modakeke.”

 

Explaining further, he said, “I went with my family because there are some places given to us by the King of Okuomoni to farm and we were just discussing how we will start doing our farms.

They just came. They were led by Olowo Obinrin. I didn’t even know him but Kabiesi (Oba Obawale) knows him very well. They injured me. We just saw a crowd from Oba of Modakeke.

 

“They beat and injured me so much. In fact, they smashed blocks on my head. Since then, I have not gotten myself till now.”

 

According to him, “The problem now is that as usual, they are already using power to block the matter. We went to the DSS but they used power to block us there. They are not handling the case the way we want it.

 

“This matter is not supposed to be swept under the carpet like that because it is not goats that they attacked and wounded. I’m the Akogun who they broke his head and badly injured.”

 

SaharaReporters also contacted Engr. Moses, Oba Obawale’s landlord, over his alleged forcible entry and threats to report him to his attackers whenever he returns to his house.

However, Moses denied the allegations, saying that though he was angry that a lot of things were destroyed in his house when Oba Obawale was attacked, he only sent him messages to come and pack out his remaining properties, as the attackers continued to monitor the house.

 

Moses, who confirmed that the youth leader led the attackers, said he was not around when the attack occurred but that the attackers told him they had been trailing the victim for a long time because two traditional rulers cannot exist in their community.

 

He, however, admitted that he had complained to the Modakeke Divisional Police Station, asking Obawale to clean the mess caused in his compound by the attackers and also to vacate his house.

He said, “I saw the youth leader because they have their base, and they told me that they have been trailing him (Obawale) since. They asked me, ‘Is it possible for two kings to be inside one town?’

 

“I told them that since they know that they have been trailing him, they should have told me. It wouldn’t have resulted in this destruction or wanting to kill him.

 

“They told me to inform him to pack out of the community. My apartment windows were destroyed. His own apartment was destroyed with bullets. His car was riddled with bullets. One of his bathroom doors was also destroyed with bullets.

 

“Maybe they thought he was inside the bathroom or kitchen and so shot and shattered everywhere. They destroyed all his frames, everything.

“Those (the attackers) have a base where you can see them any time, and they have a leader, Olowo Obinrin. I told the youth leader that what they did was wrong by coming to my house and attacking my tenant.”