The police command in Osun has arrested a hunter for allegedly shooting and killing 78-year-old Imam of Alaguntan village in Orile-Owu, whom he mistook for an antelope.

The command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, at the state police headquarters in Osogbo on Tuesday, said the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on April 17.

“A complainant from Ogbere Oloba area of Ibadan reported at a police station that his father, one Adegun Yusuf, 78, the Imam of Alaguntan village in Orile-Owu, was shot dead by a hunter from the same village.

“He (the suspect) explained that he was on a hunting expedition when he saw an antelope in the bush, which he shot at with his dane gun, but that he was surprised when he went to pick the antelope and met Baba Imam on the ground.”

Mrs Opalola said that the suspect would be charged to court after the completion of investigation.

Similarly, the police spokesperson said the command also arrested a 27-year-old man, who was allegedly sending telephone messages to a lawmaker in Osun and a judge, threatening to kidnap them and their children.

The police spokesperson said the suspect had sent a series of threat messages to his targets, demanding between N500,000 and N2 million from them, if they did not want to be kidnapped alongside their children.

She said that when the matter was reported, police detectives swung into action, adding that through serious efforts, the telephone number used in sending the threat messages was tracked and the suspect was arrested.

(NAN)