The Osun State Police Command, on Tuesday, began a manhunt for those responsible for the violence that erupted across the state, resulting in multiple deaths.
This came as the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission dismissed reports that its office had been sealed by military personnel, insisting that the local government election scheduled for Saturday would proceed as planned.
There was chaos in Osun State on Monday, following the insistence of sacked local government chairmen and councillors to return to council offices, a move resisted by the Peoples Democratic Party supporters.
The APC members, on Monday, moved to enforce the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, which overturned their sack by the verdict of the Osogbo Federal High Court on November 25, 2022.
Members of the PDP, on the other hand, also mobilised to the council secretariats in large numbers and clashed with the APC members, a development that led to the loss of six lives and destruction of properties in many local government areas in the state.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Remi Abass, who was allegedly killed at the entrance to the Irewole Local Government Area secretariat in Ikire, on Monday, was buried according to the Islamic rites on Tuesday.
Abass was among the six casualties recorded by the police, following the political unrest that engulfed the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, expressed sympathy with those who lost loved ones and property.
Opalola said the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abba, promised a thorough investigation would be conducted to arrest the perpetrators and make them face the full wrath of the law.
“The event left six people dead and many people hospitalised.
“We are not happy with what happened yesterday, and various groups have been called for a meeting. We have held a series of meetings with the Commissioner of Police to ensure that this does not happen.
“We express our deepest sympathy to those affected, including those who lost their lives and property. The CP assured of a thorough investigation and promised that the perpetrators would face the full wrath of the law,” Opalola said.
The police asked the residents to remain calm and exercise patience for the operatives to carry out their lawful duties and restore peace.
“Those fomenting trouble should desist from this act. This state is known for peace.
“We won’t allow anyone to disrupt the peace of our state. The IGP has deployed mobile policemen from outside the state to Osun, they arrived yesterday night.
“The command will leave no stone unturned to achieve peace. Let us give peace a chance,” the statement added.
As the police promised restoration of peace in the state, the OSSIEC insisted that the local government would be held as scheduled.
The state slated February 22, 2025, for the conduct of the local government election.
The management of OSSIEC, in a statement by the commission’s Information Officer, Sadiat Isiaka, on Tuesday, dismissed insinuations that its premises had been sealed by military personnel.
The commission assured residents that the local government election slated for Saturday would be held as scheduled.
“OSSIEC wishes to alert members of the public to the fake news in circulation that the premises of the commission have been sealed off by the Nigerian Army.
“The general public, especially the electorate, are hereby enjoined to disregard the fake news as the premises of the commission are secure and safe as evident in the heavy presence of inter-agency security personnel comprising the combined team of the police, DSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, Amotekun Corps, the Vigilante, etc.
“Our commendations to the security agencies for providing adequate security for the staff, facilities and election materials at OSSIEC,” it noted.
The remains of Abass, the elected chairman of Irewole Local Government Area in the October 15, 2022 election for Irewole Council Area, were buried according to Islamic rites in the Ikire Muslim Community burial ground, after a brief prayer witnessed by his political associates and many notable APC leaders in the state.
The APC leadership in the state condoled with the immediate and political families of Abass.
The state APC chairman, Mr Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, on Tuesday, described Abbas killing as inhuman, wicked and callous.
He directed other chairmen and their councillors to stay away from their respective council secretariats until further notice, as a sign of respect for their fallen colleague.
He commended the council chairmen for acting according to the Court of Appeal judgment that secured victory for them penultimate Monday.
Meanwhile, many of the local government secretariats in the state were under lock on Tuesday, with no security presence around them.
At Olorunda Local Government Area, Igbona and Osogbo Local Government secretariat in Oke Baale, Osogbo, the entrances were locked and there was no security presence when our correspondent visited on Tuesday.
The National Association of Nigerian Students has called on President Bola Tinubu to wade into the political crisis rocking Osun State.
NANS made the call in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, NANS National Headquarters, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The student body noted that the crisis which had reportedly claimed six lives should be nipped in the bud before it festered.
Odunayo expressed concerns that the political crisis was gradually taking the semblance of the ‘Operation-Wet-E’ of the Wild-Wild West Region in the 60s.
Odunayo said that the scars and tell-tales of the Ife-Modakeke communal clashes in the late 90s and early years of 2000 were still very fresh in memory.
“The political crisis in Osun is becoming worrisome as no fewer than six people were said to have lost their lives in clashes between the APC and PDP supporters.
“NANS National Headquarters views this with serious concerns and we urge President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the issue and end this deadly clashes.
“Also, we want to call on the security agents to rise to the occasion, arrest the perpetrators of violence and restore peace and order in Osun State,” the statement stated.
