Gunmen kill villlage head, abduct retired Customs officer in Osun

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A community on the Osun–Kwara boundary, Ora, was thrown into panic on Monday following a fatal attack by suspected gunmen.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Tuesday that the attack claimed the life of a village head, identified simply as Dennis, while a retired Customs officer, Emmanuel Owolabi, was abducted.

Residents who spoke with our correspondent said the abduction threw the community into panic, with people fleeing in different directions as the assailants escaped into the bush with the victim.

The victim’s wife, Titilayo, told PUNCH Metro that the incident occurred in front of Owolabi’s house on Akisa Road, Ora, Osun State, a few minutes before 7pm.

Narrating the incident, Titilayo said her husband had visited her shop shortly after she closed for the day.

While he headed to another location in the town, she returned home to prepare dinner.

She said that after finishing the meal and while waiting for her husband, she heard gunshots at the entrance to their compound.

“When I closed my shop around 6:30pm, my husband came around and asked me to go home. When I got home, I cooked and was about to serve my children their food when I heard a gunshot.

“I initially thought the shots were from hunters who sometimes come around, but the gunshots became sporadic. Later, I heard my husband’s voice outside our fence,” she said.

She added, “I didn’t know he was being held by bandits. I went out to check what was happening.

“One of the gunmen jumped over the fence into our compound. Those I saw were young boys. I knelt and spoke Hausa to him because they were speaking Hausa. Instead of responding, he started beating me.