Authorities attribute Osun gunfire to conflicts between feuding gangs, apprehend five individuals in connection with the incident

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Osun State Police Command says five suspected cultists involved in violent clashes within Ilesa metropolis have been arrested.

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The command also said its operatives were on the trail of others who were involved in the mayhem that occurred around the Adeti area of Ilesa on Monday.

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Speaking on the incident on Tuesday, the command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, told The PUNCH that the Police Anti-Cultism Team arrested the suspects following an exchange of gunshots between the rival groups.

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“On Monday, there was a cult clash around Adeti area, Ilesa at about 7pm, and five people were arrested by the anti-cultism squad and we recovered an axe and some criminal charms.

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“At first, we thought they were armed hoodlums but when we arrested some of them, preliminary investigations showed that they were cultists.

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“Some people fled and we are still looking for them,” Ojelabi said.

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Earlier, the Ilesa shooting was linked to clashes involving hoodlums working for the ruling Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress.

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It was also claimed that the clashes erupted during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in the area.

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But the claims could not be confirmed by official sources, as calls to the Public Relations Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, Musa Olurode, did not go through.

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He had also not replied to a message sent to him via WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.

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