At least six people have been reported dead as violence erupted across Osun State on Monday following a dispute over the status of former local government chairmen.
The conflict intensified after officials elected under the All Progressives Congress in the October 2022 local government elections resumed at various council secretariats.
In Iragbiji, located in the Boripe Local Government Area, two people were feared dead while several others sustained injuries in clashes across multiple local government areas. The violence followed attempts by APC members to take control of council areas, leading to a series of deadly confrontations.
In Ikire, within Irewole Local Government Area, APC council chairman, Remi Abass, was reportedly shot and killed by suspected political thugs. Meanwhile, in Ilesa, former Commissioner for Works under Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Engineer Remi Omowaye, narrowly escaped death as his vehicle was shot at, and his office was set on fire.
In Isokan Local Government, an APC councillor was killed, along with another party member in Olaoluwa. The councillor, who was leading some members of his party to the council secretariat, was shot dead after a violent clash with opposing thugs.
The violence also spread to other parts of the state, including Ayedaade, Boripe, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ila, Isokan, Irewole, Obokun, and Atakumosa. Armed thugs, reportedly wielding machetes, guns, and other dangerous weapons, invaded several local government areas to assert control and intimidate residents. Some areas, like Osogbo, witnessed heavy gunfire during clashes between supporters of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In Iragbiji, the state Commissioner for Protocol and Government House, Honourable Soji Ajeigbe, confirmed the deaths of Damilare Oloyede and a man identified only as Taye, both believed to be APC thugs. Several others were injured, including Taofek Opaleye, Tunde Oladejo, and Yinka Opaleye, who are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
At the Olorunda local government secretariat in Igbona, Osogbo, tensions flared when PDP members resisted APC supporters who attempted to seize control of the council. Armed thugs, dressed in traditional attire and carrying charms, were seen at the entrance, preventing people from recording the scene.
Osun State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Gani Olaoluwa, addressed PDP members near the secretariat, saying, “We won’t allow any illegal takeover here. No court judgment restored them here.” The resistance continued in other councils, including Ifedayo, Ede North, and Ede South, where APC members attempted to seize control but were repelled by PDP supporters.
Mr. Jamiu Olawumi, the former senior adviser to Oyetola on education matters, condemned the killings in Isokan, Irewole, and Olaoluwa local government areas, calling the incidents barbaric. However, he noted that the APC had successfully taken over 15 out of the 30 local councils in the state.
In response to accusations of involvement in the violence, the Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke, denied any role in the killings in Iragbiji. He declared, “By tomorrow, 30 of our chairmen will resume, whether anybody wants it or not. If you want to kill us, kill us. If you want to swallow our blood, swallow it.”
The Osun State Police Command, led by spokesperson Yemisi Opalola, confirmed that investigations are ongoing into the violence and deaths resulting from the unrest.
