The Osun State command of the Nigeria Police says it has commenced discrete investigation into the attack on a family at a settlement in the outskirts of Wasinmi Village, Ikire, Osun State, in the early hours of Sunday and that its men are currently on an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators.
It, however, added that the incident was not in any way connected with farmers/herders clashes as is being speculated in some quarters.
The command’s public relations officer, SP Opalola Yemisi Olawoyin, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode, who visited the scene of the incident for an ‘on-the-spot security assessment’, had assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice soon.
“The CP notes that preliminary investigations by the police reveal that some yet-to-be-identified gunmen stormed, attacked and shot sporadically at a family of six (6) at a settlement in the outskirts of Wasinmi Village, Ikire, Osun State, leaving one (1) person injured.
“Police operatives from Ikire division and other law enforcement agencies were promptly drafted to the scene to prevent further attacks on residents in the area and arrest the perpetrators but the attackers escaped on sighting the security team,” SP Olawoyin said in a statement on Sunday.
The police commissioner appealed to the people of the state, particularly residents of Ikire and its environs, not to panic but collaborate with the police by giving timely information that will assist in arresting the culprits.
He reassured them of the commitment of the police to their safety, saying adequate security measures have been emplaced to forestall future occurrences of such incidents.
He also enjoined newsmen to verify their information before making it public in order to avoid disinformation that could trigger unnecessary crisis capable of disrupting the existing peace being enjoyed in the state.