Five persons, including an Imam, have been ordered to be placed under detention by an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court in relation to the death of a worshipper during morning prayers in the state capital.
Imam of Ummu Haani Adigun Memorial Central Mosque Abdulgafar Sakariyah, 51, was among those remanded in detention together with four other individuals: Kosamotu Hakeem, 50; Fokorunso Mukaila, 57; Sakariyau Hafeez, 45; and Abdulwasiu Olatunji, 29.
After the Osun State Police Command filed an application to remand the suspects for advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the accused were brought before Magistrate A. Daramola on Monday.
The police asked for an order putting the suspects to a detention facility while investigations are completed and legal counsel is gathered in a motion filed ex parte.
Inspector Bashir Sulaiman of the State Criminal Investigation Department’s Homicide Section, SCID, Osogbo, deposed to an affidavit supporting the application.
“The incident occurred on January 30, 2026, at about 6:15am during Subuhi prayers at the central mosque in Osogbo,” the affidavit states.
The deceased, Ahmed Najeem, allegedly entered the mosque and “forcefully collected the microphone from the Imam during the morning prayer,” according to Inspector Sulaiman.
The affidavit also stated that the respondents “beat the Imam to death in an attempt to hit him with the microphone stand.”
The police emphasized that a remand order was necessary in order to legitimately detain the suspects in custody, and they informed the court that the application was filed in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Osun State, 2018.
“There is no other way to remand the respondents in a correctional center pending the outcome of legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” it continued, “unless the application is granted.”
Magistrate Daramola granted the motion after reviewing the application and directed that the five suspects be placed under remand at the Ilesa Correctional Center.
The case was postponed to February 24, 2026, for additional discussion while the DPP issued legal advice.
According to reports, on Friday, January 30, 2026, a group of devotees severely injured Najeem, a vehicle painter.
However, he passed away later that day due to his injuries, which led to chaos as his friends and family stormed the mosque during Friday Juma’at prayers.
Hon. Dr. Philip “Okanga” Agbese, a transformative leader in Enone. Discover his achievements, community projects, and vision for 2027
