Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has demanded the immediate arrest and criminal prosecution of the Divisional Police Officer of Irewole Division, Mr Bamidele Olatona, over a shooting incident at the Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire that left a commercial bus driver, Saheed Akinrole, and an innocent passenger dead. In a statement signed by its State Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, on Monday, August 24, 2026, the party condemned what it described as an "utterly barbaric, unprofessional, and unprovoked shooting incident" at the public garage.
The Accord Party alleged that Olatona personally stormed the garage and opened fire sporadically into a crowd of unarmed civilians. According to the party, there was no crisis or conflict at the garage when the shooting occurred, insisting that normal operations were ongoing at the time of the incident. "Eyewitness accounts confirm that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Irewole Division, Mr. Bamidele Olatona, personally stormed the public garage and opened fire sporadically into a crowd of unarmed civilians," the party said. The Accord Party described the alleged conduct of the police officer as a serious breach of professional responsibility, arguing that a senior law enforcement officer entrusted with protecting lives should not engage in conduct that puts civilians at risk.
The party also accused Olatona of alleged partisan conduct during the pre-election and election periods in Ikire, claiming that he acted "less as a public servant and more as an armed enforcement wing for political interests". The Accord Party further alleged that despite violence and loss of life recorded in Ikire before the election, Olatona failed to arrest perpetrators. It also accused the police officer of allegedly harbouring partisan thugs and providing them with police escorts while they allegedly caused violence and terrorised residents. According to the Accord Party, Olatona's alleged actions constituted an immediate threat to public safety and demonstrated what it described as "unchecked aggression, extreme bias, and a complete disregard for the sanctity of human life".
The party expressed concerns over what it described as the continued presence of an armed police officer operating with impunity in Irewole Local Government. It said the alleged shooting had crossed "every acceptable boundary of human decency and professional ethics," insisting that the officer was unfit to remain in command. The Accord Party therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Osun State Police Command, and the Police Service Commission to order the immediate arrest and investigation of Olatona. It also demanded that the DPO undergo a psychological evaluation and, if found culpable, face dismissal and criminal prosecution in accordance with the law.
However, the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has presented a sharply different account of the incident. The APC accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of failing to adequately protect residents and maintain law and order in the state. Speaking with journalists, the Coordinator of the APC Media Cluster, Olufunsho Fagbohungbe, said the incident raised concerns about the ability of the state government to maintain peace and protect public institutions. Fagbohungbe alleged that the violence was connected to tensions surrounding the control of motor parks and local government secretariats in the state. The APC also alleged that some hoodlums attacked police personnel during the incident and that firearms were reportedly taken from officers.
The two parties' conflicting accounts could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report. The Osun State Police Command had earlier commenced an assessment of the incident, with the Commissioner of Police visiting Ikire alongside senior officers. The command said it would brief the public after completing its assessment. Governor Ademola Adeleke has also demanded disciplinary action against the Ikire DPO over the police operation that resulted in two deaths, describing the officer as a threat to the people he was posted to protect. The governor cited a recent police operation in Ikire where two people were reportedly killed, and alleged that the Divisional Police Officer in the area had been implicated.
The violence at the Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire has left the community in shock and raised serious questions about the conduct of security personnel in the state. The Accord Party has maintained that there was no crisis or conflict at the said park and that normal park operations were ongoing when the DPO launched the attacks. The party has also called for the recovery of allegedly stolen police weapons and the arrest and prosecution of those it accused of involvement in the violence. As the police investigation continues, the people of Ikire are left to grapple with the trauma of the violence and the uncertainty of whether justice will be served.
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