By Abdul Razaq Ibrahim, Abeokuta
An 82-year-old market women leader, Alhaja Saidat Elewuju, popularly referred to as Iyaloja General of Ijebuland in the Ogun east senatorial district has been assassinated by unknown assailants, who arrived her house located in OGD Estate at Itorin-Sabo in Ijebu-Ode.
Iya Elewuju, who was said to have been hacked to death by six unknown assassins at about 3.00pm on Wednesday, was also reportedly shot and macheted by the gang of assassins and later left her in a pool of blood. But, the assailants did not make away with any valuables in the house, according to Sundiata Post findings.
Confirming themincident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said policemen quickly raced to the scene upon the receipt of information and met her in a pool of her blood and she was rushed to the hospital where she later gave up the ghost.
He said, “We got a report from our Ijebu Ode area headquarters that Iyaloja of Ijebuland, Mrs Saidat Elewuju was hacked to death by suspected assassins in her home at Sabo area in Ijebu Ode. Our men were informed and they went there. They found her in the pool of her blood.”
Adejobi, who said Iya Elewuju was later rushed to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State for medical attention, noted that, “she was later transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where she died”, adding that the octogenarian died around 11pm at LASUTH.
Adejobi, however said the command had commenced investigation into the cruel killing as he assured the residents that the assailants would be arrested and face the wrath of the law.
“The command will conduct proper investigation into the incident and ensure that the culprits are brought to book.The command will also put a structure on ground to forestall the re-occurrence of such incident in the state”, the Police Public Relations Officer said.
Sundiata Post reports that Iya Elewuju attended the Ramadan Iftar lecture held last Saturday at Arcade Ground, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, hosted by the State government and was installed as the Iyaloja-General of Ijebuland by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
Markets in Ijebu Ode and its environs were closed on Thursday to honour the late market leader and the corpse of the deceased has since be buried according to Islamic rites by a league of Islamic clerics from Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque.