Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
OSOGBO, Nigeria – A wave of gunfire that swept through the heart of Osun State’s capital on Tuesday has claimed at least one life and left several others nursing injuries, plunging the city into a state of heightened tension barely two months before the state’s governorship election. Sporadic shootings, which began in Ile-Ife and quickly spread to Ede, Aisu, Owode, and critical areas within Osogbo, forced residents to scamper for safety as armed thugs, allegedly in a branded convoy, moved through the streets, firing indiscriminately.
The latest outbreak of violence, which one resident described as a scene of chaos where traders hurriedly shut shops and commuters abandoned their journeys, escalated a pre-existing climate of fear in the state. Sources at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Osun State University Teaching Hospital and the State Hospital, Asubiaro, confirmed that several victims were rushed in for urgent medical attention.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, speaking at an emergency press conference at the Government House, did not mince words. He alleged that the attacks were a “deliberate step to plunge the state into chaos” and directly accused the supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, of orchestrating the violence. The governor painted a grim picture of the events, stating that a convoy of about 15 vehicles, branded with the APC candidate’s "AMBO" campaign materials, moved from Akoda to Aisu Junction, where assailants jumped down and shot sporadically before proceeding to Owode, Olaiya, Old Garage, Oke-Fia, and areas around the Government House.
In his address, Governor Adeleke warned that the provocation was becoming unbearable and accused the state police command of inaction, lamenting that it had “not raised a finger to stop the attacks”. He specifically named thugs known as “Aleba” and “Asiri” as the leaders of the assault and called on President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, to order. “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the destabilising roles of the Marine Minister, Gboyega Oyetola and the Osun APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji,” Adeleke declared, referencing what he described as a pattern of political violence that had recently seen the killing of an Accord Party youth leader in Ikire and the near-fatal shooting of the party’s chairman in Osogbo.
Dismissing the governor’s claims, the Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council swiftly denied any involvement and instead pointed fingers at the ruling Accord-PDP alliance. In a statement, the party alleged that its campaign buses were attacked and vandalised by suspected political thugs in the Owode-Ede area, leaving several supporters injured and campaign materials destroyed. The APC also called on Governor Adeleke to rein in his political foot soldiers to prevent the state from plunging deeper into insecurity.
The Osun State Police Command, while confirming the incidents, has adopted a cautious stance, stating that the perpetrators have not yet been linked to any political party. The command has, however, launched a full-scale investigation into the matter. The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, has directed the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), alongside the department of operations and intelligence units, to commence a thorough investigation aimed at arresting and prosecuting those responsible.
As the clock ticks down to the August governorship election, the political atmosphere in Osun State remains dangerously fragile. The exchange of bitter accusations between the ruling party and the opposition, coupled with the reality of bloodshed on the streets, has left residents in a state of anxiety. Following his press briefing, Governor Adeleke visited victims at the Osun State Teaching Hospital and the Cottage Hospital in Ede, assuring them that the state government would stand by them. However, for many in Osogbo, the question now is not which party will win the election, but how many more will fall victim to the violence that precedes it.
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