Naval Officers on Rampage As Hoodlums Murdered Colleague

Toba Owojaiye Reporting 

Yesterday, the relatively peaceful atmosphere in the agricultural community of Idoani, located in the Ose Local Council of Ondo State, was disrupted when unidentified hoodlums killed a naval officer.

This incident prompted a swift response from a large number of military personnel, who descended upon the community to apprehend those responsible for the officer’s death. As a result, tension quickly escalated, leading to the closure of shops and deserted marketplaces.

Fearing arrest, many young men from the community fled, while residents expressed concerns about potential reprisals from the deceased officer’s colleagues.

According to an anonymous source in the community, the naval officer was driving along a road when he unintentionally splashed pond water on a passenger riding a motorcycle while attempting to avoid potholes. The source claimed that the naval officer parked his vehicle and apologized to the motorcyclist, but the individual, identified as Ayo, refused to accept the apology.

Allegedly, the motorcyclist had influence over a group of thugs in the Idoani community, and he proceeded to mobilize them to attack the naval officer with an iron rod, causing him to lose consciousness. The officer was rushed to a local hospital but unfortunately passed away before reaching it.

Although the police apprehended the motorcyclist and handed him over to the authorities, one of the thugs involved in the attack managed to escape.

In response to the incident, Dennis Adekunle, the Chairman of the Ose Local Council, strongly condemned the killing and urged calm among the residents. He assured the school authority at Navy Secondary School, Imeri, which the naval officer was attached to, of the council’s cooperation, aiming to ease tensions. However, he appealed to the school to exercise restraint while seeking the perpetrators in order to maintain peace.

At the time of reporting, the state Police Command had not confirmed the precise details of the incident. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Olufumilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, promised to conduct an investigation and gather more information about the tragic event.