Bloody Osun: Governor Adeleke Unleashes Coroner Panel On Ikire Killings, Demands Answers!

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has issued an Executive Order establishing a Coroner Inquest/Panel of Inquiry to thoroughly investigate the killings, shootings, injuries, and widespread violence reported at Naira and Kobo Junction, Motor Park/Garage Area, Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, on August 24, 2026. The state government, through a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, disclosed that the order, which takes effect on August 31, 2026, aims to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident and ensure accountability.

The panel, to be chaired by Magistrate Ayokunle Shiyanbola, with Mr. Abiodun Badiora serving as secretary, comprises a diverse group of members including AIG (Dr) Aderanti C. Kayode (retd.), Mr. Dele Akintayo, a representative of the Nigerian Bar Association, Comrade Wale Balogun representing Civil Society Organisations, a community representative from Ikire, and Dr. Babatunde Afolabi as Medical/Forensic Representative. This comprehensive composition underscores the government’s commitment to a multi-faceted investigation.

Its mandate is extensive: to determine the identities and number of victims, establish the immediate and remote causes of the violence, and examine whether criminal responsibility is connected to the deaths. Crucially, the panel is tasked with investigating the role of security operatives, assessing whether live ammunition or other weapons were used, and determining if their deployment complied with legal standards, rules of engagement, and human rights principles. Furthermore, it will identify any individual, group, security personnel, political actor, transport union member, or public official whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the incident.

The inquiry is vested with broad powers to gather evidence, including summoning witnesses, demanding relevant police and medical records, inspecting the incident scene and other pertinent locations, and receiving both oral and documentary evidence. It may also recommend protective measures for witnesses and individuals at risk of intimidation or retaliation. Following its findings, the panel may propose prosecution, disciplinary measures, compensation for victims, and institutional reforms to prevent future occurrences of similar violence.

Governor Adeleke has directed the rigorous preservation of crucial evidence, including firearms, ammunition records, station diaries, communication logs, incident reports, duty rosters, medical records, autopsy reports, photographs, and videos. The Executive Order also mandates appropriate measures for the protection of witnesses and victims’ families, ensuring medical and forensic documentation, and maintaining peace in Ikire pending the conclusion of the inquiry. The Inspector-General of Police, Police Service Commission, and Osun State Commissioner of Police have been formally requested to take interim administrative steps concerning any police officer whose operational command might prejudice the inquiry or erode public confidence.

The panel is expected to commence sitting within seven days of its inauguration and submit its final report to the Osun State Government within 30 days from its first sitting, with provisions for extensions if necessary. The government has extended an invitation to victims’ families, eyewitnesses, journalists, transport workers, police officers, medical personnel, civil society organisations, political parties, community leaders, and human rights activists to submit memoranda and evidence.

Governor Adeleke has assured the residents of Ikire, the families of the deceased and injured, and the general public of a thorough, fair, and transparent investigation. He emphasized that no person found culpable would be shielded from justice, irrespective of their status, office, political connections, or institutional affiliation, though all allegations must be established by credible evidence before the panel.

In a related development, the Osun State Governorship Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu (also referred to as Rilwan Disu), to immediately arrest and investigate Senator Lere Oyewumi, the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate. The APC council, in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity Committee, Oluremi Omowaiye, accused Senator Oyewumi of complicity in political killings and violence within the state, directly linking him to the recent Ikire killings.

The APC alleged that individuals associated with and identified as thugs linked to Senator Oyewumi disarmed a police officer on duty at Naira and Kobo Junction and subsequently used his rifle to open fire, resulting in fatalities. They further claimed that confessions from arrested suspects and briefings from the Osun State Commissioner of Police have corroborated their warnings about violent political elements operating under Senator Oyewumi’s influence. The council pressed for an impartial investigation, asserting that Oyewumi's status as a serving senator should not grant him immunity from criminal inquiry when credible allegations are made.

Beyond the Ikire incident, the APC council also connected Senator Oyewumi to the murder of Remi Abass, a prominent APC chieftain and former Chairman of Irewole Local Government, who was killed last year. Allegations include that a rifle belonging to a security operative attached to Abass was taken on the day of the assassination and later returned to a police station by Oyewumi, raising questions about his involvement. Furthermore, the council alleged that substantial sums of money were provided by Oyewumi to security personnel to compromise investigations into Abass’s murder. The arrest of Jide Joda, described as a loyalist and political appointee of the governor, in connection with Abass’s murder, his subsequent bail, and alleged escape, leading to a police 'wanted' declaration, were also highlighted, with the APC questioning the police’s inability to apprehend him.

The APC identified one Ayewo as the alleged perpetrator who fired the shots killing the two victims at Naira and Kobo Junction, claiming Ayewo has a history of involvement in previous political violence and assassinations in Osun State, including the killing of Saheed Oyegunju, the APC Ward 9 Treasurer in Irewole. The council urged the police to investigate these links and determine Ayewo’s connections to these incidents, further accusing Senator Oyewumi of leveraging his position in the National Assembly to evade arrest and prosecution over these serious allegations.

Earlier reports, including by SaharaReporters, indicated that at least five people, including three commercial bus drivers and two passersby, were feared dead in the violent clash at Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire. This incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the control of the motor park, with political thugs allegedly involved. Witnesses linked the violence to the struggle for motor park control following the recent Osun State governorship election. Allegations also surfaced against the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ikire, Mr. Olatona Bamidele, who was accused of facilitating access for suspected APC thugs, allegedly led by a man identified as Ojuyobo, during the incident.