Newly ‘reinstated’ Osun LG chairman killed by gunmen
Tragedy struck in Osun State on Monday as gunmen killed the newly reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government, Remi Abass. The attack occurred when Abass arrived at the local government secretariat with his supporters, and they were ambushed by armed men suspected to be thugs.
According to reports, security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested several suspected thugs who allegedly caused chaos in the state. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with many calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing.
The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, had earlier raised an alarm about an alleged plot by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to instigate unrest in the state. Adeleke accused Oyetola of issuing illegal directives to security operatives in an attempt to enforce the unlawful return of sacked local government chairmen.
At a press conference on Sunday, the governor alleged that Oyetola, in collaboration with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps, was using his connection as President Bola Tinubu’s nephew to push through illegal actions.
Adeleke had insisted that President Tinubu, whom he described as a true democrat, would not endorse actions capable of leading to bloodshed. He warned that Oyetola’s alleged scheme, set to begin on Monday, could plunge Osun into chaos.
The evil plot is being spearheaded by Mr. Gboyega Oyetola in active collaboration with security agencies. He is issuing illegal directives simply because he is the President’s nephew,” Adeleke had stated.
The governor clarified that the local government chairmen in question were sacked by two Federal High Court judgments before he assumed office. He dismissed claims that his administration was responsible for their removal.
The governor had urged President Tinubu and the public to intervene and prevent what he described as an abuse of power that could destabilize Osun State. “We see this as a gross betrayal of trust reposed in the Osun state security officers by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Adeleke had stated.
The killing of Remi Abass has sparked outrage and concern among residents of Osun State, with many calling for justice and an end to the violence. The incident has also raised questions about the role of security agencies in the state and the need for greater accountability and transparency in their operations.
