By Ayo Kehinde
The dismissed Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area in Osun State, Remi Abass, has been killed.
Abass was among the local government chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were sacked by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo in November 2022.
He was allegedly shot by armed hoodlums on Monday when he led a group of former local government officials in an attempt to take over the secretariat.
The spokesperson of the state Police Command, SP Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident, said, “We are working to apprehend the perpetrators and restore calm in the area.”
Meanwhile, two persons have also been confirmed dead in the Boripe Local Government Area during a clash between hoodlums allegedly loyal to the APC and PDP.
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.
The governor, who accused Oyetola of issuing illegal directives to security operatives in an attempt to enforce the unlawful return of sacked local government chairmen, had warned that the Minister’s alleged scheme could plunge Osun into chaos.
At a press conference on Sunday, Governor Adeleke 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 stated.
The governor clarified that the local government chairmen in question were sacked by two Federal High Court judgements before he assumed office. He dismissed claims that his administration was responsible for their removal.
Governor Adeleke had urged President Tinubu and the public to intervene and prevent what he described as an abuse of power that could destabilise Osun State.
