The tragic death of Pa Temidayo Ogunlade has left a profound impact on 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 in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to his brother, Mr. Olaolu David, Pa Ogunlade had experienced complications and left his home early in the day, but did not return. His family began searching for him, unaware that he had been assaulted by a mob who mistook him for a thief. Despite finding nothing incriminating on him, the mob, spurred by a false alarm, beat him severely.
Mr. David recounted the events to Vanguard: “On June 27, 2024, my brother, who has memory issues, wandered into a compound in Bode Owo. Being unfamiliar to the locals, he was wrongly identified as a thief. The commotion drew a crowd that assaulted him viciously.”
“When the homeowner went to report the incident to the police, the mob attacked Pa Ogunlade again, leaving him gravely injured. By the time the homeowner returned, Pa Ogunlade was barely conscious. He was rushed to the University College Hospital but was turned away due to a lack of beds. Attempts to get him treated at Adeoyo Hospital were thwarted by a staff strike. On the way to a third hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.”
Mr. David, who learned of the tragedy from Lagos, said the good Samaritan who brought Pa Ogunlade to the hospital was confused and eventually handed over the body to the police. The police then detained the Samaritan and took Pa Ogunlade’s body back to the scene of the attack, where no one could identify him.
It was through a private radio broadcast that the family learned of Pa Ogunlade’s fate. The resident involved in his care is seen as a victim of circumstance, as the attack occurred on his property.
Further investigation revealed that Bode Owo residents had been plagued by frequent robberies, which likely fueled their misidentification and assault of Pa Ogunlade. Efforts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
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