Loja of Ilashe, Oba A. Anibijuwon of Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State was on Wednesday reported strangled to death before setting his palace ablaze by some hoodlums.
Unconfirmed report alleged that the blind Monarch was killed by the hoodlums before setting the palace on fire.
As at the time of this report the whereabouts of the Kabiyesi was unknown
One of the residents who pleaded not to be named said told Punch that:
"We don't know why those who burnt the palace did so. But the
palace was razed down and those people who did it strangled the Kabiyesi to death before setting the palace on fire. You know that our
Kabiyesi was blind."
However, the Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Sunday Akere,who confirmed the inferno to our correspondent, said he was not told that the monarch was killed.
He said that may be the
monarch was injured but that he did not die.
Akere said, "There was a fire outbreak at the palace of Ilashe this evening and fire-fighters went and put it out. We
heard that three young men went to the palace and demanded to see the monarch but they were prevented from
seeing him.
"But curiously there was a fire outbreak immediately they left
the palace. Fire-fighters were sent there and they put out the fire. The Kabiyesi was not killed but may be he was injured during the fire outbreak."
He said that the state
government in collaboration with security agencies were
investigating the case to know what caused the fire and get those behind it arrested if it
was a case of arson.
