0
0
By: Abiodun Taiwo
Tension has enveloped the Papa Alajiki area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, after gunmen launched a violent attack on the home of Evangelist Solomon Oluwaniyi, father of PDP Ward Secretary, Edward Oluwaniyi, leaving the elderly man badly wounded and two tenants missing at the time of this report.
The attackers stormed the residence at 4 Jekayinfa Street, shouting repeatedly, “Where is Edward? Where is Edward?”, as they searched the compound. Residents said the men struck with force, leaving the community shaken as they fled without locating their target.
The incident has further heightened fear in an area already unsettled by recent bandit attacks on neighbouring Kwara communities, where several people were killed and others kidnapped. The latest assault has deepened anxiety among residents, who now fear that the manhunt for Edward has spread across state lines.
This attack adds to a troubling, coordinated pattern. On October 30, 2025, armed men invaded Edward’s former residence at 3 Onabola Street, Bariga, Lagos, going from house to house in search of him and his family. Neighbours said the assailants ransacked the surroundings and vowed to track down the family “wherever they are.”
The renewed threats have also revived the trauma of the September 6, 2021 ambush in Bariga, where Edward was run over with a vehicle, beaten mercilessly, and left in a pool of blood after suffering multiple fractures. He survived only after being rushed to Adekola Hospital by a Good Samaritan. Residents recalled that the attackers vowed at the time to wipe out his entire household, a threat that now looms over the ongoing attacks.
Community members describe Edward as a dedicated grassroots mobiliser, known for settling disputes, supporting the vulnerable, and strengthening political structures within his ward. Many suspect that his rising political relevance may have provoked hostility from rivals, making him a persistent target.
With his father now hospitalised and two tenants unaccounted for, concerns are mounting that the assailants’ campaign is escalating. Although the police previously confirmed the Lagos attack, the spread of these incidents across Oyo and Lagos has intensified calls for urgent intervention to ensure the family’s safety.
What began as a single targeted assault has evolved into a disturbing multi-state pursuit—one that highlights the worsening insecurity confronting politically active citizens and their families.
It is recalled that ward leaders and families have been kidnapped and murdered across the country in the past, and Edward’s case must not be allowed to end the same way.
About The Author
