Masquerades Invade Mosque, Kill One, Injure Several

One person has been reported killed with several sustaining injuries as armed masquerades invaded a mosque at Oluode Aranyin area of Osogbo capital of Osun.

The armed masquerades reportedly invaded the mosque on Sunday evening forcefully dragging out persons who were praying. The masquerades also compelled the Imam of the Mosque, Qusum Yunus to run away for his dear life.

Worshipers chanted prayers as they ran and many escaped without their children who followed them to the mosque for prayer.

Investigations revealed that trouble started when the masquerades first stoned members of the Kamorudeeen Islamic Society who were holding a prayer session at the mosque.

The reason for this remained cloudy as of the time of filing in this report but, was further learnt that, after stone-throwing, the masquerades brought out guns and shot repeatedly at the worshippers leaving, a prominent member of the society, the Baba Ijo of the mosque identified as Moshood Salawudeen dead in the process.

Many members also sustained various degrees of injuries in the pandemonium which said to have lasted hours.

One of the victims who identified himself as Munirudeen Abdul Lateef told our reporter that, before the commencement of the programme, security men comprising of police officers, Amotekun Corps members and others were on ground but few minutes after their departure, the masquerades surfaced from an unknown place to inflict sorrows on the worshippers of the mosque.

Speaking on the incident, the Imam of the Mosque, Qusum Yunus confirmed the story and explained that, “members of the society were attacked by the masquerades during a program tagged “Prayer for the Nation” to pray for Nigeria over the rising insecurity.

The Chief imam who hinted that there was no disagreement between them and the masquerades said they had earlier passed through the area without attacking us but they later returned to where we all sat and started pelting us with stones and some policemen were in their company when they perpetrated the act.

“They later shot at us and used machete on us. One person was killed. We have taken the corpse to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Morgue. Nine others are receiving treatment in other hospitals in Osogbo.”

The spokesperson of Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, did not respond to calls and SMS on the incident as at press time.