Six Persons Killed As Sacked Osun LG Chairmen Resume Duty

…Adeleke Asks Residents To Stay Away From LG Secretariats

…Osun Lawmakers Accuse Minister Of Orchestrating Takeover

OSOGBO /ABUJA – Six persons were feared killed while several others were wounded on Monday in some Osun State council secretariats when sacked local government chairmen and councilors attempted to forcefully resume duty.

The local government chairmen and councilors were elected during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had said resumption by the chairmen and councilors was consequent upon the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure, which upturned the judgment of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, that removed them.

But Governor Ademola Adeleke accused Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, of conniving with security chiefs in the state to enforce a non-existing court order to return sacked local government chairmen to office against the dictate of the law.

Some of the affected councils that witnessed clashes between supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were Ayedaade, Boripe, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ila, Isokan, Irewole, Obokun, and Atakumosa local government areas of the state.

On Monday, during the crisis, among those killed was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), simply identified as Remi Abbass.

Abbass was shot dead in Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State.

He was killed by suspected political hoodlums, who invaded the local government secretariat in Ikire in the early hours of Monday. It was further gathered that a yet-to-be identified resident of the town was also shot dead by the hoodlums.

Similarly, in Iragbiji, the headquarters of Boripe Local Government Area, two persons were said to have been killed by suspected hoodlums who stormed the secretariat.

Fielding questions from journalists, Commissioner for Government Affairs and Protocol, Hon. Ajeigbe Korede, claimed that two members of his party were shot dead while six others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries.

Korede accused some APC chieftains in the council area of being the brain behind the attack in an attempt to hijack the local government secretariat.

According to him, “Earlier this morning, around 5a.m, we were called that APC thugs from Iree, Boripe, led by a former local government and chieftaincy affairs commissioner under Oyetola’s regime from different local government areas have been mobilised.

“We came out to see what problem was and none of our party members were there to attack or harass them.

Before we knew it, they started shooting with pump action and AK-47. “Shooting right in the presence of security operatives here in Boripe Local Government Area. The DPO was there.

The thugs started shooting our members but unfortunately, one of their thugs shot directly at our members, which led to the death of two people.

“Before we could rush them to the hospital, they gave up the ghost. Presently, we have about three to six of our party members who sustained gunshot wounds. “We were told they are still in Iragbeji. They are in the former governor’s house.

They promised to come tomorrow again.” While reacting to allegations of leading thugs to Boripe Local Government on Monday, Bayo Adeleke stated that the allegation was untrue, noting that he was at different broadcast stations at the said time.

He, however, alleged that the PDP hoodlums are planning to assassinate him and seven others.

He said, “As at 8:30a.m, this morning, I was at an interview with Western TV. I was also at an interview with Channels TV around 12 noon and around 1p.m., I was at Afinju Radio.” Adeleke said no amount of intimidation would stop them from resuming in the office.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Project Implementation at the Federal Housing Authority, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, escaped an assassination attempt by the suspected hoodlums.

Speaking after the attack, Omowaiye alleged that PDP thugs launched an attack on him and his entourage in Ilesa.

He said three of his aides sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

“They would have killed me, if not for the swift intervention of my security team. I was brutally attacked and my driver was shot but I thank God for the swift intervention of my security details.

“We call on the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the current situation in Osun before it gets out of hand”.

Adeleke Asks Osun People To Stay Away From LG Secretariats

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke has 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 reaction to the current illegal takeover bid of local governments in Osun State, the governor affirmed that since the local government workers are on strike, only security agencies should be allowed to man the secretariats. “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 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 Area. Another two were killed at Ola Oluwa Local Government Area.

Another one was lost at Ikire. We must stop the bloodshed”, the governor lamented.

He assured residents of their safety and protection of lives and property, affirming that he has directed security agencies to take charge of all local government secretariats.

Osun Lawmakers Accuse Minister Of Orchestrating Violent Takeover

However, the Osun State caucus in the 10th National Assembly has accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of allegedly masterminding the move to violently take over local government secretariats across the state.

Describing the development as a clear invitation to anarchy, the lawmakers alleged that the move is being orchestrated by Oyetola despite a subsisting court judgment affirming the removal of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-backed local government officials.

The forum accused Oyetola, who is the immediate past governor of the state, of conniving with the Commissioner of Police, the Director of State Services (SSS) and the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to unleash mayhem in Osun.

Members of the caucus include Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Akogun Olalere Oyewumi, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi and Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunnla.

Others are Hon. Bamidele Salami, Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke, Hon. Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro, Hon. Clement Akanni Olohunwa, Hon. Soji Adetunji, Hon. Adebayo Morufu Adewale, Hon. Mudashiru Lukman, Hon. Lanre Oladebo, and Hon. Sanya Omirin. Speaking at a press conference on behalf of his colleagues at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, on Monday, lawmaker representing Ede North/Ede South/ Ejigbo/Egbedore federal constituency, Bamidele Salam, condemned the “brazen effrontery of the sacked local government council officials to return to office notwithstanding the yet-to-be-set-aside decision of the Court of Appeal, Akure, against their return to the office.”

Salam in his address to journalists on Monday urged President Bola Tinubu to instruct the National Security Adviser, and the Attorney General of the Federation to properly advise the APC in Osun on the futility of their barbaric actions and guide them appropriately on the true position of the law on this matter.

He said: “Today, the people of Osun woke up to a criminal take-over of the local government secretariats across Osun State by these sacked officials who forcefully broke into the premises of the councils, aided by thugs and hooligans who have been shooting sporadically, wreaking havoc on the people of the state, thereby breaking law and order.

“Sadly, this is being perpetrated with the support of some security personnel, relying on a different court judgment, despite a subsisting court judgment which upheld the nullification of their purported election.

“We are aware that these dastardly acts are being carried out under the directives of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, and some notable leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state in active collaboration with the heads of security agencies in the state, namely; the Commissioner of Police, the Director of State Security Service, and the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

“This is an invitation to anarchy and it has broken law and order in the state, thereby causing chaos and mayhem which has threatened the relative peace being enjoyed by the good people of Osun State under the stewardship of the Peoples’ Governor, HE, Sen. Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke.

“These desperate acts contradict common sense in view of the fact that there is a local government election scheduled for Saturday 22nd of February to which the APC has purchased forms, conducted primaries and actively engaged in campaigns in the last couple of months.

“It therefore baffles any right-thinking mind on how the same party and its leaders will turn around to insist that officials who were sacked over two years ago should forcefully take over office in a manner that disrupts the peace of the state.”