Barely 24 hours to the Osun State governorship election, suspected political thugs have attacked the palace of the Aree of Iree, Oba Muritala Oyelakin.

The monarch, who spoke with newsmen in Iree on Friday, said the incident occurred around 2am when two Sienna vehicles arrived at the palace.

According to him, the occupants fired shots into the air before shooting at the palace gate.

Oba Oyelakin said the attackers appeared to have been discouraged from gaining access to the palace after noticing that the lights were on and some people were observing prayers inside the premises.

He said he repeatedly switched the lights off and on to create the impression that people were present, which he believed helped to scare the assailants away.

The monarch expressed concern over the attack and urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident, identify and arrest those responsible, and ensure that they are brought to justice.

The incident has heightened concerns over security as residents prepare to cast their votes in Saturday’s governorship election.