The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a masquerade identified as Asoleke over the alleged killing of a 24-year-old man, Sefiu Kehinde, during a traditional procession in the Labiran area of Ibadan.
Police authorities also confirmed that four other suspects believed to have participated in the attack are currently at large, with efforts underway to apprehend them.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has once again drawn attention to recurring violence linked to some traditional masquerade parades in parts of the country.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the incident was reported at the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters by a woman identified as Mrs. Aderemi.
According to the police, the complainant said she received a distress call from her elder sister informing her that her younger brother had been attacked by the Asoleke masquerade and his followers while they were parading through the Labiran area.
The police spokesperson said the victim was allegedly assaulted with axes and cutlasses, sustaining severe injuries to different parts of his body.
Following the report, officers led by the Divisional Police Officer of Mapo Division were immediately deployed to the scene and evacuated the victim to a hospital for emergency treatment.
However, medical personnel confirmed Kehinde dead on arrival.
The police said investigators subsequently processed the crime scene, took photographs and completed other necessary documentation before releasing the victim’s body to his family for burial in line with Islamic rites.
Providing an update on the investigation, the command disclosed that the alleged principal suspect, identified as the Asoleke masquerade, had been arrested.
“The masquerade, Asoleke, has been arrested, while four of his followers alleged to have committed the crime are still at large,” the statement said.
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation.
The police assured residents that efforts to track down the remaining suspects were ongoing and appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could aid the investigation.
The command also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, stressing that it would continue to take firm action against all forms of criminality across Oyo State.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the safety of traditional masquerade processions, some of which have been linked to violent attacks that have resulted in injuries and deaths in different parts of Nigeria in recent years.
