The tragic death of Pa Temidayo Ogunlade has deeply affected his family. Pa Ogunlade, who had been struggling with memory loss for several years, was mistakenly attacked by residents in Bode Owo, Itesiwaju area, Omi Adio, Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to his brother, Mr. Olaolu David, Pa Ogunlade had experienced some complications and left his home early but failed to return.
His family began searching for him, unaware that he had been assaulted by a mob who had mistaken him for a thief. Despite finding no stolen items on him, the mob, incited by a false alarm, beat him severely.
Mr. David recounted the events to Vanguard: “On June 27, 2024, my brother, who suffers from memory loss, wandered into a compound in Bode Owo. As a stranger, he was wrongly accused of theft. The resulting commotion attracted a crowd that violently attacked him.”
“When the homeowner went to report the incident to the police, the mob attacked Pa Ogunlade again, leaving him critically injured. By the time the homeowner returned, Pa Ogunlade was barely alive.
“He was rushed to University College Hospital, but was turned away due to a lack of available beds. Attempts to take him to Adeoyo Hospital were hindered by a staff strike. He passed away before reaching the third hospital.”
Mr. David, who resides in Lagos, learned of the incident from the Samaritan who had tried to help. The Samaritan was subsequently detained by the police, and Pa Ogunlade’s body was taken back to the scene of the attack, where he remained unidentified until a private radio broadcast informed the family of his death.
Further investigation revealed that Bode Owo residents have been experiencing frequent robberies, which likely contributed to their mistaken identity of Pa Ogunlade.
Efforts to obtain a response from the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, were unsuccessful at press time.
