Osun State Police Command has confirmed receipt of a petition from traditional worshippers seeking an investigation into an alleged invasion of the Osun-Osogbo Grove by a group of Christian clerics.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed on Tuesday that the police would examine the allegations raised and ensure due process is followed in addressing the matter. The petition, submitted by the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in Osun State, TRAWSO, called for a thorough probe into claims that a shrine within the grove was desecrated during the incident.
According to the association, “the alleged invasion occurred when some pastors reportedly entered the grove and engaged in activities considered offensive to traditional beliefs.”
The police said the petition was formally delivered to the police headquarters in Osogbo.
“The petition will be treated with due diligence. The matter would be investigated in line with the law,” Ojelabi assured.
The development has also drawn attention from the Osun State Government, which convened a meeting with stakeholders to prevent the escalation of tensions.
State government officials confirmed that representatives of the traditional worshippers, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and the church linked to the incident were present at the meeting. During the engagement, concerns were raised regarding the events at the grove, particularly the conduct of individuals captured in a widely circulated video.
The footage, which surfaced on social media, showed a group of clerics at a shrine, where one of them appeared to make gestures and verbal declarations challenging the significance of the traditional deity.
The situation reportedly escalated when traditionalists arrived at the scene, leading to a confrontation before the clerics eventually exited the area.
Subsequently, another video emerged showing individuals said to be traditionalists entering a church associated with one of the clerics involved in the earlier incident.
In the recording, some of the individuals were seen covering their faces while carrying out actions described as ritualistic inside the church premises.
The association confirmed that its petition focused on the initial incident at the grove, while declining to comment on the subsequent actions at the church.
President of TRAWSO, Dr Oluseyi Atanda, said the decision to approach the police was aimed at ensuring a lawful resolution to the dispute.
“We are law-abiding citizens, which is why we have submitted a petition requesting an investigation,” Atanda said.
He added that discussions with government officials centred on addressing the concerns raised and preventing further conflict between the groups involved.
Officials of the state government indicated that measures would be taken to de-escalate tensions and forestall any recurrence of such incidents.