By: Manoah Kikekon
IBADAN, OYO STATE – A traditional procession in the Labiran area of Ibadan turned fatal on Sunday, July 5, 2026, resulting in the death of 24-year-old Sefiu Kehinde. The Oyo State Police Command has since launched a full-scale investigation into the incident, which has sparked renewed concerns over the violent excesses sometimes associated with masquerade parades in the state.
According to police reports, the principal suspect a masquerade identified as Asoleke has been taken into custody. The arrest followed a distress call made to the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters by a relative of the deceased, Mrs. Aderemi. She reported that her younger brother had been brutally set upon by the masquerade and his followers while they were parading through the neighborhood.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, detailed the harrowing moments of the attack in a statement issued on Monday. "The complainant reported that earlier the same day, at about 4:00 p.m., she received a distress call from her elder sister, informing her that a masquerade, identified as Asoleke, and its followers, while parading through Labiran area of Ibadan, allegedly attacked her younger brother, Sefiu Kehinde, with axes and cutlasses," the statement noted. Despite a swift response from officers led by the Divisional Police Officer of Mapo, the victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Commissioner of Police for Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation. While Asoleke remains in detention, authorities are currently conducting a manhunt for four other suspected accomplices who fled the scene.
"The Command wishes to assure members of the public that efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining perpetrators," DSP Olayinka added. "The Oyo State Police Command remains committed to the protection of lives and property and will continue to take decisive action against all forms of criminality across the state." The police have urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with law enforcement by providing any credible information that could lead to the capture of the remaining suspects.