By Desire Emmanuel
A popular masquerader in Ibadan, Oyo State, known as Asoleke, has been arrested by men of the state police command after he and some of his followers attacked and killed a man during the ongoing Egungun Festival in the city.
The man, Sefiu Kehinde, aged 24 years, was attacked by the masquerader and his followers in the Labiran area of city.
The incident was reported at the Mapo Divisional Headquarters of the command on Sunday, July 5, by one Mrs. Aderemi.
She told the police that earlier the same day, around 4:00 p.m., she received a distress call from her elder sister that Asoleke and his followers, while parading through Labiran area of Ibadan, attacked her younger brother with axes and machetes, inflicting injuries on various parts of his body.
After receiving the report, a team of police operatives moved to the scene and the victim was rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention, but he was pronounced dead on arrival by the medical doctor on duty.
Subsequently, Asoleke was arrested while some of his followers involved in the killing are currently at large and a manhunt had been launched for their arrest.
The case has also been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation while the man’s corpse was released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
