By Osogbo/Ilesa, Osun State
Three people have been killed in a cult-related clash in Ilesa, Osun State, the state Police Command has confirmed, just days before Saturday’s governorship election.
According to a statement from the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the clash broke out around 8:00 p.m. on Monday in the Imo area of Ilesa, involving suspected members of the rival Aiye and Eiye confraternities. The victims were identified only by their first names, Idowu, Yinka and Eja, pending formal identification.
Police said the Commissioner of Police overseeing security for the 2026 Osun governorship election, Samuel Erale Etaifo, ordered the immediate deployment of the Violence Crime Response Unit to the scene after a distress call, with instructions to contain the situation, make arrests and restore order.
Investigators recovered four spent cartridges and two Android phones at the scene, and the command said preliminary investigations are underway to identify those responsible.
Authorities have since directed tactical teams to step up patrols and intelligence-led operations around Ilesa and nearby flashpoints to head off any reprisal attacks. The command also cautioned rival groups and other criminal elements against exploiting the incident to stir further violence, warning that anyone involved in cult activity, reprisal attacks or illegal firearms possession will face prosecution.
Residents of Ilesa have been urged to remain calm, avoid circulating unverified information, and report suspicious activity to police.
The clash adds to what has been a tense run-up to Saturday’s poll. Osun State has recorded a rise in extrajudicial killings in recent months, a trend security analysts and residents have increasingly linked to the pressures of the forthcoming governorship contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke (Accord), Bola Oyebamiji (APC) and Najeem Salaam (ADC).
