Gunshots rented the Obelawo area along Ikirun road in Osogbo, capital of Osun State on Tuesday night when three soldiers invaded a police post in the area to free their colleague detained by policemen.
The Nation gathered the gunshots led to palpable tension in the area as residents scampered for safety.
A source close to the police post, who pleaded not to be named, told The Nation policemen had arrested some suspected cultists and kept them in the custody.
He said: “One of the suspected cultists that were arrested is related to a soldier. The man (soldier) came to the station in the afternoon on Tuesday to secure administrative bail for his brother.
“During interaction with the policemen, an argument ensued and the soldier was put inside the custody with the cultists.
“However, he had communicated his colleagues informing them that he had been detained in the police post.”
It was learnt that three soldiers, armed with knives and wearing camouflage vests, invaded the police post around 8pm to forcefully free their detained colleague.
Another source said: “The policemen started shooting to the air to scare the soldiers but when they observed that they were resolute, they fired bullets on the three soldiers which did not penetrate.
“The policemen in the station fled their station as the soldiers chased them away from the station.
“The soldiers returned to the station and freed their colleague.”
Osun Police spokesman, SP Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident to The Nation.
She said: “Suspects who claimed they are military men from Ede took the suspected cultist away to Ede Military Barrack. We have made arrests.”