Tension has gripped Osogbo, the Osun State capital, following the killing of three people in separate incidents suspected to be linked to cult clashes, leaving residents worried and some businesses temporarily shut.

The first incident occurred on Friday evening around Owo-Eba, in the Owode-Ilesa Garage area, where gunmen reportedly attacked a lounge where Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as Small Rugged, and others were relaxing. Taoreed and another man identified only as Osha were killed, while four others sustained gunshot injuries.

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The shooting reportedly caused panic along the Ilesa Garage-Ayepe axis as residents fled the area and traders hurriedly closed their businesses. The Osun State Police Command confirmed the incident, describing it as a suspected cult clash.

The police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said two people died at the scene, identifying one as Small Rugged, while the identity of the second victim was yet to be established at the time. He added that four injured persons were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

“The command is aware of a shooting incident suspected to be cult clash around Owo-Eba area, Osogbo. Two persons died at the spot, one identified as Small Rugged, while the other’s name is yet unknown. Four other people sustained gunshot injuries and have been rushed by the police to a nearby hospital for treatment,” Ojelabi said.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan Zungura, had directed tactical teams to apprehend those responsible. No arrest had been announced at the time of filing this report.

Taoreed was alleged by some sources to be associated with the Eiye confraternity, while other claims linked him to alleged thuggery and political violence during the 2026 Osun governorship electioneering. The claims could not be independently verified.

About 48 hours after the Friday incident, another shooting was reported around Ita-Olokan, Osogbo, on Sunday morning. A man identified as Taoheed Ojoiku was reportedly attacked at about 9:30 a.m. and later died after being taken to a nearby hospital.

The circumstances surrounding Ojoiku’s death were not immediately clear, although residents and sources suggested that the incident could be connected to the earlier killings and might have been a reprisal attack. The claim had not been officially confirmed by the police.

The latest incidents have heightened fears among residents, with stakeholders calling on the Osun State Government and security agencies to intensify surveillance and security operations across Osogbo to prevent further violence and restore normalcy.