The peaceful atmosphere of Osun State was shattered on Monday as the sacked chairman of Irewole Local Government, Remi Abass, was brutally murdered by unknown gunmen at the local government secretariat in Ikire. Eyewitnesses reported a chaotic scene as the assailants stormed the secretariat in broad daylight, firing multiple gunshots.
“It was sudden and chaotic. People ran for safety,” a local resident who requested anonymity said. The shooting left the community in fear, and many people were left scrambling to escape the violence. Abass, who was ousted along with other local government chairmen in Osun State in November 2022, had been serving under the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time.
The Osun State Police Command swiftly confirmed the attack, announcing that investigations had begun. “We are working to apprehend the perpetrators and restore calm in the area,” stated SP Yemisi Opalola, the Police Public Relations Officer.
The tragic incident is part of a broader wave of violence in the region, with reports of two additional deaths in Boripe LGA. Eyewitnesses say the fracas erupted when hoodlums, allegedly working for both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC, clashed in an attempt to take control of the council. Among the victims were two individuals identified as Ege and Igara, who were reportedly shot by the hoodlums.
Ege, who had recently switched allegiance from the APC to the PDP, was the only son of his parents. His father is also a member of the PDP. Another individual, Yinka, a photographer, was injured in the crossfire and is currently in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.
The spate of violence has led to growing concern in the area, with residents fleeing their homes in fear of further escalation. Local authorities have called for peace, but the situation remains tense as the political crisis continues to spill over into deadly violence. The community is left reeling from these tragic events, with many calling for urgent intervention to restore peace and security to the region.