The Osun State Police Command has taken four suspects into custody over the death of a mosque worshipper, Hameed Najeem, following a disturbance at a central mosque in Osogbo.
Najeem, a car painter by profession, reportedly lost his life after an altercation that broke out shortly after the early morning (Fajr) prayer at the Ummu Haani Adigun Memorial Central Mosque in the Ogo Oluwa area of the state capital.
Confirming the arrests, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the suspects are being held in connection with the incident, which has since attracted the attention of the command’s top hierarchy.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has ordered a discreet and comprehensive investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death, underscoring the command’s resolve to ensure accountability and forestall a breach of public peace.
“The Commissioner of Police has taken interest in the matter and directed that a high-level investigation be conducted,” Ojelabi said, adding that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed handling.
He stressed that preliminary findings suggest the suspects took the law into their own hands, a development the police described as unacceptable.
Accounts from eyewitnesses indicated that the deceased had participated in the congregational prayer before a disagreement reportedly erupted between him and the mosque’s Imam during a sermon. As tension escalated, the Imam was said to have left the prayer ground, while other worshippers attempted to calm the situation.
Sources said the confrontation later spilled outside the mosque premises, where Najeem was allegedly overpowered during the ensuing struggle.
The incident reportedly sparked further tension later in the day when individuals said to be relatives of the deceased visited the mosque, accusing the Imam and some worshippers of complicity in his death.
The police assured residents that investigations are ongoing and urged the public to remain calm, noting that all those found culpable would be made to face the full weight of the law.
