Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A brazen attempt on the life of the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Campaign Council has thrown the race for Osun State's top political seat into a new, volatile gear, as the police confirmed the arrest of three suspects with chilling details of a would-be assassination plot involving an English Beretta pistol loaded with live rounds.
The Osun State Police Command paraded the suspects on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the Command Headquarters in Osogbo, unmasking a plot that unfolded at the heart of a political gathering in Ipetu-Ijesa, Oriade Local Government Area, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The target was Hon. Oluwole Oke, a serving House of Representatives member and the man steering the APC's campaign ship ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
According to Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, Oke and his entourage had paid homage to the Ajalaye of Ipetu-Ijesa, Oba Agunbiade Oke, before proceeding to a town hall meeting with party supporters. The trouble began as they were leaving the venue. A group suspected to be political thugs and members of the notorious Eiye Confraternity blocked the exit route of Oke's convoy.
The situation escalated when the alleged leader of the group, 24-year-old Olamilekan Oriyomi, produced an English Beretta pistol loaded with four rounds of live ammunition and was about to point it at the lawmaker. However, the Divisional Police Officer on duty spotted the gunman and subdued him. The swift intervention caused panic but prevented what could have been a fatal attack.
Police officers immediately arrested Oriyomi and recovered the weapon, while other suspects fled the scene. However, intelligence-led operations by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) led to the arrest of two additional suspects, Ayotunde Ikupolati Ojo, 44, and Fakinleye Femi, 31, on July 1, 2026, also in Ipetu-Ijesa.
During interrogation, Oriyomi confessed that he had obtained the firearm from one Busuyi Akinwole Ikupolati, also known as "Omo-Akin," who is currently at large. The suspect's statement also implicated some influential figures who are now under the command's searchlight.
The assassination attempt is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have raised concerns about the conduct of the upcoming governorship election. The APC and the ruling Accord Party have been trading accusations of orchestrating violence, with several deaths and injuries reported in recent weeks. The arrest of the three suspects has heightened tensions, with the opposition calling for a thorough investigation to uncover the sponsors of the plot.
CP Gotan assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that all those found culpable will be made to face the full weight of the law. He reiterated the command's resolve to maintain peace and security in Osun before, during, and after the elections, vowing that the police would deploy all lawful means to apprehend anyone involved in violent crime or political thuggery.
As the clock ticks toward the August 15 poll, the question on everyone's lips is: who is behind the gun aimed at the heart of the APC's campaign, and what does this mean for the stability of Osun's political future?
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