RismadarVoice Reporters
October 2, 2026
Two people have been killed and four others injured following a shooting suspected to be linked to a cult clash in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The incident occurred on Friday evening at a lounge around the Owoeba area of Owode-Ilesa Garage, causing panic among residents, traders and other people in the area.
Witnesses said armed men suspected to be members of a rival cult group arrived at the lounge and opened fire on people gathered there.
One of those killed was identified as Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as Small Rugged. Local accounts alleged that he had links to the Eiye confraternity, although the claim has not been independently verified.
A second person, identified in some local accounts only as OSHA, was also reported killed, while four others sustained gunshot injuries.
The shooting reportedly caused panic along the Ilesa Garage-Ayepe axis, with residents and traders running for safety and some businesses closing as the violence unfolded.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said preliminary information available to the command indicated that the shooting was a suspected cult clash.
Ojelabi confirmed that two people died at the scene, identifying one of them as Small Rugged. Police had yet to formally establish the identity of the second victim at the time of the statement.
He added that four injured people were evacuated by police officers to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Zungura, has ordered tactical teams to identify, track and arrest those responsible for the attack.
No arrest had been announced in connection with the shooting at the time of filing this report.
Separate claims linking Taoreed to thuggery or political violence during the 2026 Osun governorship electioneering have not been independently established by the police.
