One dead, children, others injured as masquerades attack Mosque in Osun
TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Pandemonium broke out on Sunday when some masquerades attacked a mosque in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, where some Muslims gathered, leaving one dead and about 12 injured.
NEWS BOOM gathered that the masquerades opened gunfire at the Muslims at their worship centre, Kamorudeen Central Mosque, located at Oluode Aranyin in Osogbo around 2:30pm on Sunday while performing a special prayer for Nigeria.
One person was confirmed dead while about 12 persons including children sustained gunshot injuries in the attack.
Some of the children who were shot are under 17 years and are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the State capital.
A 12-year-old boy, Abduljeleel Ali who sustained gunshot injuries in the chest and leg; Adebayo Awolesin, 15, who was shot in the arm; Taofeeq Fatai, 17; Maliq Abdukabir, 17 are undergoing treatment in Osun State University Teaching Hospital Osogbo.
A Camry car, mosque windows were destroyed in the attack.
It was gathered that Kamorudeen Islamic Society of Nigeria organised a special prayer for Nation which was attended by members of the organisation across the state.
One of the victims who spoke with NEWS BOOM during a visit to the hospital, Isiaka Ajagbe, 37 narrated that the traditional worshippers were led by a popular Kayode Esuleke.
He said that the masquerades and their worshipers under the protection of police had walked passed the mosque before they returned and descended on them with stones.
“They were first throwing stones before they started firing guns at us. They destroyed the mosque. We were on our own,” a victim explained.
The Imam of the mosque, Kazeem Yunus confirmed that the leader of the organisation in Iwo, Osun State, Moshood Salawudeen was shot in the head and gave up the ghost on the spot.
“Some of our members, about 12 who sustained bullet injuries, were taken to Osun State General Hospital, Asubiaro; Osogbo central hospital and UNIOSUN central hospital while the corpse has been deposited at UNIOSUN teaching hospital mortuary,” he added.
