- IGP Condemns Violence, Vows To Deal With Perpetrators
- PDP Rejects APC’s Call For State Of Emergency
The crisis over the battle for the leadership of the local government secretariats in Osun State, on Monday, February 17, 2025, has escalated with the death toll hitting 8.
This is even as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, and the opposition All-Progressives Congress (APC) have traded blames for the crisis which has also seen scores injured as elected local government officials on the platform of the APC resumed offices at the various council secretariats.
While the state government said the PDP lost five persons, the APC said three of its members were killed.
Trouble started when the PDP and APC laid claim to the control of the council areas with the APC claiming that the Appeal Court had reinstated the sacked elected council chairmen and councillors.
The Osun State government, however, countered that narrative insisting that the election was nullified by a Federal High Court in Osogbo.
READ ALSO: Adeleke Accuses Oyetola Of Plotting Mayhem In Osun Over LG Chairmen’s Reinstatement
On Sunday, Gov Ademola Adeleke raised an alarm that Adegboyega Oyetola, his predecessor, was planning to cause mayhem in the state starting from Monday.
That warning was not heeded as the day broke with violence.
In a statement released by Olawale Rasheed, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Adeleke said five PDP members were killed during the violence that broke out at LGA secretariats on Monday.
“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,” the statement reads.
“I equally condole families of victims of the APC illegal takeover bid and chaos unleashed across the state by the APC and their hired thugs. The 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.”
On its part, the APC speaking through Jamiu Olawumi, said that the reinstated chairmen and councillors had successfully resumed offices in about 15 LGAs before suspected PDP thugs stormed the councils with guns.
“As at 9:15 am, the council officials had successfully resumed offices in 15 council areas, including Ede-South, Ife-Central, Ife-North, Ife-East, Ilesa-East, Obokun, Odo-Otin, Osogbo, Boripe Irewole, Isokan, Ayedaade, Atakumosa-East LGAs.
“But surprisingly, in line with the threat of Governor Ademola Adeleke, PDP thugs invaded the council secretariats and started shooting at our people. Remi Abass, chairman of Irewole was killed, a councillor was killed in Isokan, and one APC member at Ola-Oluwa LGA.
“We called on the governor to call his party members to order as we will not stop resuming at the secretariats in line with the court verdict.
“Even those that did not go to the secretariat were targeted for assassination. Engr. Remi Omowaye, Executive Director, Federal Housing Authority, escaped assassination by the whiskers from PDP thugs in Ilesa as his vehicle was shot severally and his office attacked in the town.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of additional tactical squads to Osun State to bolster security and restore law and order.
This comes as the Nigeria Police Force condemned, in strong terms, the incidents that have disrupted peace and safety in the state, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
This was contained in a statement by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Adejobi noted that the violent actions in Osun had disrupted the peace, leading to the destruction of property and the unfortunate loss of innocent lives.
He stated that the IGP issued a stern warning to those who threaten the peace and stability in the state, saying that the police will not tolerate any act of lawlessness, hooliganism, or anarchy in the state.
According to the statement, perpetrators of criminal acts will be identified and made to face the consequences of their unwarranted actions.
The statement titled: “As IGP Orders Deployment of Additional Tactical Squads to Restore Normalcy in Osun” reads;
“In response to the ongoing violence in Osun State, the Nigeria Police Force has condemned, in strong terms, the incidents that have disrupted peace and safety in the state, and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. These violent actions have disrupted the peace, leading to the destruction of property and the unfortunate loss of innocent lives.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has taken decisive action by ordering the deployment of additional tactical squads to Osun State to bolster security and restore law and order.
“The Police recognize that violence undermines the democratic process and threatens the wellbeing of the citizens, and hereby affirms its commitment to identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators of these acts and making them face the full weight of the law.
“The IGP issues a stern warning to those who threaten the peace and stability in Osun State, as the Force will not tolerate any act of lawlessness, hooliganism, or anarchy in the state. The perpetrators of these criminal acts will be identified and made to face the consequences of their unwarranted actions. Citizens must remain calm as normalcy is being restored. Osun indigenes, leaders, and stakeholders are hereby urged to shun violence and go about their legitimate businesses. The judiciary remains the ultimate arbiter of all electoral disputes, and political actors must respect and abide by its rulings, upholding the rule of law and democratic principles. Citizens are advised to go about their lawful business.
“The Force reiterates its commitment to clamping down on any violent actors bent on creating chaos and a breakdown of law and order in any part of the country. The situation in Osun will be closely monitored, and measures will be enforced to ensure a safe environment for all residents.”
In a related development, the call for a declaration of a state of emergency in the state by the APC has been met with rejection by the state government who accused the APC of targeting to achieve their demand by deliberately causing mayhem in the state.
Responding to a question on what the solution to the current political crisis in Osun State should be, National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday programme said;
“I will suggest that perhaps it will be necessary for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency. It has gotten to that stage where hapless people coming from farms are attacked by uncontrollable PDP thugs.
But Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi who was also on the programme rejected the call for a state of emergency, saying,
“I call on our amiable president to reject the call of Honourable Bashiru and his cohorts. That is exactly what they are targeting, they deliberately caused mayhem in this state.
“We are going to publish the names of our members that have been killed. There is no court of appeal that restored them, we urge them to toe the line of peace.”
