Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A man arrested by security operatives in connection with an attack involving the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has confessed that he was hired by Francis Eniade, the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives candidate for the Ifelodun, Boripe and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency. The suspect, who was arrested with a police uniform and carrying a firearm, made the confession during an interrogation captured on video seen by SaharaReporters. During the interrogation, the handcuffed suspect admitted that he owned the gun used in the incident and confessed to firing it twice.
The suspect, who was paraded before journalists, said he was working for Eniade and had followed him to the location where the incident occurred. When security operatives asked him why he did not take Eniade along after the incident, the suspect explained that the firearm belonged to him and that he was the one using it. He said, “The gun belongs to me. My office owns it and I'm the one using.” When asked whether the gun belonged to his office or to him personally, the suspect replied, “I own it. But it belongs to Ayodeji Onayemisi.” He further admitted that he brought the firearm from Lagos State. “I brought it from Lagos State, I won't lie to you,” he said.
The suspect also acknowledged that he followed Eniade. “I follow Eniade,” he stated during the interrogation. When asked what he and the others were doing at the location where he was apprehended, the suspect said he worked for Eniade at his residence. The security operatives also questioned him about why he was wearing a police uniform and presenting himself as a police officer. In response, the suspect claimed that he was a member of an organisation he referred to as “NFS,” saying members of the group were together. When asked whether there was an NFS in Osun State, the suspect answered in the affirmative. “Yes, there is NFS in Osun,” he said. However, when asked to identify where the organisation operates in the state, the suspect declined to provide specific locations. He said there was an NFS presence in Osun but that he could not mention where its members were based. He added that he had seen some members of the organisation greeting one another.
The security operatives subsequently questioned him about the events leading to the shooting, including who he followed and which vehicle was being pursued when the shots were fired. The suspect said he followed Eniade but claimed he did not know the people involved in the incident and was only hired to accompany them. “I follow Eniade, but I don't know anybody, I was only hired,” he said. According to the suspect, he knew that a vehicle was moving and that a black SUV passed Eniade. He further claimed that Eniade's Personal Assistant, identified as Taiwo, questioned why Eniade was chasing the SUV. “I know that the car was speeding, and a black SUV passed Eniade. His PA was saying why would Eniade be chasing that SUV,” the suspect said. When asked to identify Eniade's Personal Assistant, the suspect said his name was Taiwo. The security operatives then asked him how many times he fired the gun. The suspect admitted that he fired twice. He explained that he initially believed the occupants of the vehicle were the people who wanted to attack them.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, just two days before the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 15. The attack has deepened the political tension already gripping the state, where the governorship election has been marked by rising violence and allegations of intimidation. A viral photograph circulated on social media showed Eniade covered in blood, with reports indicating that he was injured during the clash alongside several others, while vehicles were allegedly damaged in the process. An X user who claimed to have witnessed or received information about the incident wrote: “Speaker Wale Egbedun just attacked Eniade. Dozens were injured, and several cars were destroyed. Where are the so-called neutrals to condemn this?”
The camps of both parties have presented conflicting narratives of what transpired. The APC camp alleged that Egbedun's convoy attacked Eniade. According to a post shared on X by Al-hamdaany Arije, Eniade's convoy was waylaid by suspected armed thugs allegedly linked to Egbedun while returning from Inisa. The APC chieftain was reportedly pursued, forcing Eniade to take refuge at Okuku Divisional Police Station. The thugs were however alleged to have invaded the station, attacking the APC chieftain's convoy and injuring his driver. However, the Accord Party camp alleged that the Odo-Otin Local Government Area Chairman Adeyinka was the one attacked by armed hoodlums linked to Eniade. A suspect arrested with a police uniform and carrying a firearm gave a contrary account, confessing that he was hired by Eniade and fired twice.
The Osun State Police Command had not officially confirmed the alleged attack involving Egbedun and Eniade as of the time of filing this report, and there has been no official statement from Egbedun directly addressing the allegation. However, the Speaker had earlier called for the arrest of Senator Francis Fadahunsi and Eniade over alleged inciting remarks. In a viral video, Eniade had threatened non-APC members, warning them not to come out to vote on election day. Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, Egbedun expressed deep concern that his name was explicitly mentioned in a viral video circulating online. “In the said video, Eniade specifically mentioned my name, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, and issued threats against me as well as other eligible voters within the Odo-Otin, Boripe, and Ifelodun Federal Constituency,” he said.
The suspect's confession has added a new layer of complexity to the electoral violence that has marred the build-up to Saturday's poll. With the governorship election just hours away, the revelations have raised urgent questions about the involvement of political candidates in orchestrating violence and the ability of security agencies to maintain order. The Osun State Police Command has yet to confirm whether Eniade has been arrested or invited for questioning, but the suspect's confession is likely to intensify calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.
As Osun State prepares for the August 15 governorship election, the political atmosphere remains dangerously volatile. The election pits incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party against the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and other contenders. The attack involving the Speaker and the APC candidate, coming just days before the poll, has heightened fears of further violence and underscored the urgent need for security agencies to act decisively to prevent the breakdown of law and order. The suspect's confession that he was hired by Eniade, if proven, would represent a damning indictment of the role of political actors in fuelling electoral violence and a stark reminder of the lengths to which some will go to secure power.
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