The crisis trailing who becomes the new Araromi-Owu monarch in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State has further degenerated after gunmen attacked the palace of the traditional ruler, killing two policemen and a youth within the premises.
While the deceased youth was identified as Abass, the identities of the policemen said to have been attached to the palace were yet to be ascertained.
The attack occurred barely three weeks after clashes broke out between Orile-Owu and Araromi-Owu communities over who should occupy the vacant stool in Araromi-Owu, resulting in the death of two persons and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.
The Guild gathered that the incident occurred on Friday morning after news filtered in that the kingmakers had picked the candidate from Orile-Owu and preparation for coronation had started inside the palace.
It was learnt that the gunmen, allegedly loyal to the Araromi-Owu faction, stormed the palace to disrupt the spiritual process and kidnap the candidate picked by the kingmakers for the throne.
Residents narrated that the policemen and the youth, who was engaged by the monarch-elect as an aide, were killed while preventing the gunmen from gaining access into the palace.
A source, who does not want his name mentioned, narrated that the two officers died immediately while the youth passed on at a hospital.
Efforts to contact the the Osun police command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, proved abortive.
It would be recalled that during the previous clashes, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Shittu Kehinde popularly called KENWASK, was among the those that died during in the clashes.
Also, the State House of Assembly had earlier granted the request by a lawmaker representing the community that the assembly setup an investigation and damage assessments committee to know the root cause of the crisis, and award compensation to those who have lost their loved ones and properties where necessary.
