No fewer than five persons were feared killed and many others injured in Osun on Monday as the struggle to take over control of local government secretariats by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) turned deadly, causing panic and tension in some parts of the state.
It is recalled that the Court of Appeal judgment in Akure last week Monday, which purportedly reinstated sacked chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of APC in 2022, had triggered a crisis in the state as the APC and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bickered over different interpretations of the judgment.
While the APC insisted that the judgment was explicit on the reinstatement of the council bosses and councillors, the state government contended that the judgment did not restore the ex-local government elected officials back to office.
However, the attempt by some members of the APC to take over some council secretariats in the state resulted in killings and violence as members of the PDP and some hoodlums resisted the moves, leading to panic and tension in some local government areas.
In Irewole Local Government Area, Ikire, the battle for the control of the local government secretariats worsened as hoodlums allegedly killed the former chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Mr. Remi Abass, during a violent clash.
However, the attempt by Abass and some members of the APC to take over the premises of Irewole Local Government Area, with a view to enforcing the Court of Appeal judgment, took a deadly turn on Monday morning when they were confronted by some armed hoodlums.
Credible sources informed The Guardian that the former chairman was allegedly killed while many others were critically injured during a gun duel between his supporters and some hoodlums who prevented the forceful takeover of the secretariat.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Protocol and Government Affairs, Mr Soji Ajeigbe, alleged that two PDP members, identified as Ege and Igara, were killed by gun-wielding thugs working for the APC.
He claimed that “apart from those killed, six others were injured while they were attempting to take over the secretariat. We have deposited the bodies in the morgue while the injured are receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Sources informed us that two persons were allegedly killed in Iragbiji, the headquarters of Boripe Local Government Area, when supporters of APC and PDP clashed, just as one person was also killed in Olaoluwa Local Government Area.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said policemen had been deployed to the affected areas, adding that she would find out details about the incident and get back to journalists.
Similarly, there was tension and chaos in some other local government areas, namely Osogbo, Olorunda, Ilesa East, Boripe, Ayedaade, as members of the APC attempted to take over the councils’ secretariats in order to enforce the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
When The Guardian visited the Irewole Local Government secretariat, located in Ikire, on the stretch of Ibadan-Ife Expressway, about 30 armed policemen and five patrol vans were sighted at the frontage of the council, just as a vandalised black Toyota Camry was stationed at the main gate.
At Ayedaade Local Government Area, a sizable number of youths converged in front of the council building, just as some operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were spotted a few meters from the youth.
Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has said that no fewer than five members of the PDP were killed on Monday during the attempt by the APC to forcefully take over some local government areas.
He also directed Osun residents, including politicians across political divides, to stay away from the local government secretariats to protect public property and avoid further bloodshed.
In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke said: “I, therefore, direct all law-abiding Osun residents to stay away from the council secretariats, especially as they are expected to be under lock and key.
“I equally condole families of the victims of the APC illegal takeover bid and chaos unleashed across the state by the APC and their hired thugs. PDP lost five members, with several others wounded. Two of those members are from Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government. Another two were killed at Ola Oluwa Local Government. Another one was lost at Ikire. We must stop the bloodshed,” the statement added.
The governor, however, assured residents of their safety and the protection of lives and property, affirming that he had directed security agencies to take charge of all local government secretariats.
Also, while addressing a press conference in Osogbo, a chieftain of the APC, Jamiu Olawumi, said: “Today, our chairmen and councillors resumed in 15 out of 30, including Ilesha, Ife North, Irewole, among others, even Ede South, which houses the private apartments of the governor, has resumed before 9 a.m.”
He stated: “Surprisingly, the PDP started mobilizing hoodlums to the secretariats to attack the chairmen who resumed offices at their various locations. The SSG also led thugs to Osogbo Local Government Area.”
The Executive Director of Project Implementation at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Remi Omowaiye, on Monday, said he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt along the Osogbo/Ilesa road.
He disclosed that the incident occurred around 2:05 p.m. in front of Ilesa West Local Government Area when he was travelling to Osogbo.
Omowaiye had mobilised members of the APC in Ilesa to the Police Command Area Command to seek their protection for the reinstated local government executives to resume councils.
Speaking to journalists, he said his driver and a police orderly attached to him sustained gunshot injuries, stressing that “I was returning to Osogbo from Ilesha when we ran into an ambush in front of Ilesa West Local Government. They shot at where I was sitting on the bus; the bullet shattered the side windscreen.
“My driver and police orderly sustained serious gunshot wounds. They have been taken to the hospital for treatment,” Omowaiye hinted.
