JUST-IN: Ex-Council Boss, 4 Others Die In Osun LG Takeover Crisis

At least five people have lost their lives in the violence that erupted on Monday in Osun State following an attempt by political figures from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to take over local government secretariats.

Among the victims was the former chairman of Irewole Local Government, Ikire, Mr. Remi Abass. Other casualties included Damilare Oloyede and Taye, who were reportedly shot dead in Iragbiji and Boripe local government areas of the state.

According to Osun State Commissioner for Protocols and Governmental Affairs, Soji Ajeigbe, the two deceased, Oloyede and Taye, were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and were allegedly killed by APC agents around the Boripe Local Government secretariat in Iragbiji.

Speaking to reporters in Iragbiji, Ajeigbe condemned the violence and noted the tragic loss of life. At the same time, Alhaji Jamiu Olawumi, speaking from the APC secretariat in Osogbo, accused members of the ruling PDP of killing three APC members, including Abass, a councillor from Olaoluwa local government, and another individual from Isokan local government.

Olawumi further revealed that, following the 10th February 2025 Court of Appeal ruling, 15 reinstated APC council chairmen had assumed office by 9 a.m. that day, only to be violently chased out by PDP-affiliated thugs shortly after. He emphasized that the APC would continue to maintain its stance on the court’s verdict, insisting that the reinstated council chairmen would keep trying to resume their positions as mandated by the appellate court.

The crisis intensified across various local government areas in Osun State, with clashes between rival political groups as the sacked council chairmen, reinstated by the Court of Appeal, sought to take up office again. Tensions arose due to contradictory interpretations of the court’s ruling, with the APC claiming that the reinstatement covered local government chairmen elected under the previous administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The ruling PDP, however, denied this claim, insisting that the court had not ordered their reinstatement.