Police Clear Air on Ilesa Shooting; Five Gang Members Nabbed with Axes and Charms After Heavy Gun Battle in Adeti

The Osun State Police Command has “flipped the script” on rumors surrounding a Monday night shooting in Ilesa, confirming that the chaos was caused by a supremacy battle between rival cultists rather than political thugs. On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the Command revealed that five suspects are already in custody following the violent clash in the Adeti area.

Panic had initially gripped residents when gunshots rang out around 7:00 PM on Monday. Early social media reports claimed the shooting was part of a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party during a Continuous Voter Registration exercise. However, Police Spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi dismissed these claims, stating that preliminary investigations proved the arrested individuals were members of notorious cult groups.

“At first, we thought they were armed hoodlums, but our findings showed they were cultists,” Ojelabi said. He explained that the Anti-Cultism Unit was forced into an exchange of gunfire before they could subdue the five suspects. Along with the arrests, the police recovered an axe and various “criminal charms” used by the groups for protection and intimidation.

While five men are now behind bars, several others fled into the night as security forces arrived. The police have assured the public that they are “on the trail” of the fleeing members and have increased patrols across the Ilesa metropolis to prevent any reprisal attacks. As the “Solution” to the rising cult menace in the state, the police are urging residents to stay calm and report any suspicious hideouts, reminding everyone that no “tradition” or gang affiliation is above the law.