Ondo Monarch Escapes Death As Gunmen Attack Palace, Kills Two Persons Over Land Dispute

The traditional ruler of Isinigbo community in Akure North local government area, Oba Samuel Fadahunsi, has been hospitalised after gunmen suspected to have been hired attacked his palace and set it ablaze.

Oba Fadahunsi, who is said to be 100 years old, was said to have been trapped inside the inferno but was rescued by his subjects after the gunmen were chased away.

Isinigbo and neighbouring Ude community have been at loggerheads over a land disputes, which was said to have led to a series of litigation.

Last week, youths from Isinigbo in protest over the destruction of their houses stormed the palace of the traditional ruler of Ude, Sunday Boboye, the Ajagun of Ude, and set it ablaze.

Oba Boboye fled for safety and another attack was reportedly carried out on him when he returned and he said he scaled the fence to escape being killed.

In an interview, Oba Boboye said he secured a court judgement in 2017 that a large portion of land sold by Isinigbo belonged to him.

He said all efforts to call the new buyers for negotiation failed as they offered to pay N100,000 per plot against the N600,000 he demanded.

But Secretary of Isinigbo, Adeleye Rotimi, said they didn’t take seriously the threat of an attack until the gunmen used another route to attack the community.

Rotimi disclosed that Oba Fadahunsi was responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital. He also denied the allegation of offering to pay N100, 000 to Oba Boboye to allow them to remain in their houses.

Meanwhile, two persons who said they hailed from Kogi State have been arrested by men of the 32 Artillery Brigade Owena Cantonment over the dispute between Ude and Isinigbo.

The suspects identified as Fatai Ali, 25 and Onu Adejo, 27, were caught with live ammunition and confessed that they were hired to come to Ondo State.

They have been handed over to the Ondo State Police for further investigation.

KanyiDaily had also reported how Oluwo of Iwo threatened to destroy the Agbowu of Ogbagba whom he had earlier assaulted during the peace meeting to resolve a prolonged land dispute in Osun State.