Gunmen Assassinate Community Leader In Owo, Ondo State Over Land Dispute

A quarter chief has been assassinated in Owo town, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State over an alleged land issue.

The quarter Chief, who was identified as High Chief Elewere Tunde Ilori, was shot dead on Wednesday evening while returning from where he had gone to settle land dispute.

The Chief was said to have gone to resolve the land dispute on the order of the Olowo Of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye following a complaint lodged at the Olowo palace by two aggrieved families.

According to a source in the community, the Chief and members of the two parties involved in the dispute were returning to town when they were attacked, with the deceased chief shot in the head

The source, which craved anonymity, disclosed Chief Ilori died instantly, while one other person who was hit by the assailant’s bullet was been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town.

“The hoodlums ran away from the scene immediately and the remains of the man and the other person shot were taken to the hospital where one of them was pronounced dead. I think the incident had been reported to the police in the town,” the source said.

Following the death of the chief, tension built up in the community as youths who protested the killing barricaded major roads in the town with bonfire.

Confirming the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami said investigation had commenced towards apprehending the perpetrators of the heinous act