Death toll mounts as another Osun resident shot dead

August 14, 2026 5:35 am

A resident of Esa Oke in Osun State, Dele Ayegbo, was reportedly shot dead by some assailants said to be travelling in a black Sports Utility Vehicle late on Wednesday.

Sources in Esa Oke, who spoke with our correspondent about the incident, said it occurred between 11 pm on Wednesday and 12 am on Thursday.

The sources further described Ayegbo as a nephew of the Director-General of the Osun All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council, Oluwole Oke, giving rise to insinuations that the killing had a political undertone.

One of the sources said Ayegbo was killed close to his house, located in the Idofin quarters of Esa Oke, adding that two other persons were also shot and hospitalised during the attack.

A media adviser to Oke, Sunday Omolebi, while responding to questions from The PUNCH through WhatsApp, said the deceased was shot dead by some assailants who fled the scene shortly after perpetrating the crime.

Omolebi said, “He was shot by a moving black Jeep while he was in his car. It was a move to weaken Hon Oluwole Oke, especially in his stronghold. This is heinous, and the security agencies will need to unearth this.”

The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, could not be immediately reached for comment.

But the Osun APC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, stated that the crime was perpetrated by hoodlums working for the Accord.

Olabisi further disclosed that, from the information available to the party, “Ayegbo was gunned down at the road junction close to his house at the Idofin quarters area of the ancient town by the Accord Party hoodlums who were riding in a car.

“It was learnt that two of our members were shot by the political thugs during the incident and that while Ayegbo died instantly, the other victim was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town where he had been receiving treatment.

“The spate of the killings because of the re-election bid of Governor Adeleke is becoming unprecedented in the political history of the state and its record has shown that it has surpassed that of the 2022 governorship election, when no fewer than 30 members and supporters of our party were slaughtered like rams by the political thugs working for the PDP that has now metamorphosed to the Accord in Osun State.

“Ijesaland has been witnessing the highest percentage of political killings orchestrated by the state incumbent government, as 17 of the 30 of our members killed by the Accord thugs before the 2022 governorship election took place in Ijesaland,” he said.

The party charged the state police command to act decisively on the killings of APC members, saying the move was to scare the electorate from exercising their civic responsibility during the governorship poll.

“The killing of the nephew of our campaign Director-General in Esa-Oke is one death too many which must be urgently unravelled by the police in the interest of fairness and justice.

“The killing was callous, wicked, barbaric and inconsiderate as there should ideally not be a meeting point between violence and democratic dispensation,” it said.

The campaign council of the All Progressives Congress for the Osun governorship poll, however, demanded the arrest of the assailants who reportedly killed Ayegbo.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Thursday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the council, Remi Omowaiye, said the party had lost about 40 members to extrajudicial killings in different parts of the state in recent weeks.

Omowaiye, who chronicled the series of killings of APC members that occurred recently, said some suspected hoodlums working for the Accord also attacked members of the party in Alarere village in the early hours of Thursday.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), the nephew of the Director-General of our campaign council, Honourable Oluwole Oke, Ayegbo Oladale and Taiwo Oluwadele were shot around Honourable Oluwole Oke’s family compound in Esa-Oke.

“Unfortunately, we lost Ayegbo Oluwadele while Taiwo is still in a very critical condition.

“Just this morning again, an associate of Honourable Sanya Omirin and three others were attacked. They were shot.

“Those shots were Adebayo Dada’s own was severe. All members of the APC at Atakumasa East were shot at. Others were Idowu Laide, Ebuka Emmanuel, and Adebiyi Ebeneezer. They were APC members; they were shot at Alarere,” Omowaiye said.

He accused Adeleke of playing the victim’s card, adding, “As I speak, we have lost about 40 of our members, and nothing has been done to stop this.”

He continued, “A few days ago in Ilesha, it was alleged that one of the prisoners released by the government was responsible for the killing in Ilesha.

“We were preparing for a rally. There was supposed to be a final rally in Ijesa South, and five people were shot. Four of them died, while one is in critical condition at the Teaching Hospital. One of them is still in the ICU.

“And what was their offence? They were putting on APC caps. Well, one thing we want him to know is that he cannot escape the law, and the wrath of God will come upon Governor Adeleke for killing our people.”

Reacting, the Osun Accord spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, dismissed the APC allegations and told the party to look for the perpetrators of the crime within its fold.

Bamiji further said, “Our party is peaceful. We have been conducting our campaigns peacefully. There is nothing to warrant all these killings.

“This happened not long after a chieftain of the APC in the state declared war on Accord members. We urge the police to do their job and fish out the perpetrators.”

Also, the state governor, Adeleke, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, condemned the killing in Esa Oke and the subsequent destruction of property.

He condoled with the families of the victims and other victims of recent political violence across the state, saying he had directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and security operations in Esa Oke and its environs, while ordering the police to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that the perpetrators were apprehended and brought to justice.

Adeleke described the incident as an unfortunate consequence of reckless political incitement, urging political leaders and their supporters across Ijesaland and Osun State to refrain from actions and utterances capable of triggering violence.

“We all have families and friends. We should not preach violence. Senator Fadahunsi issued a killing directive; the next day, somebody was killed at Esa Oke, his own zone,” the governor said.

He also commiserated with the families of the more than 15 Accord members reportedly killed so far, as well as those whose homes were raided, vandalised or whose members were allegedly illegally arrested in Ikire.

“Aside from Esa Oke, over 20 homes of Accord members were raided last night at Ikire. Some were illegally arrested while houses of others were vandalised. This is not politics again.

“I challenge our opponents to let us fight through the ballot. Since we are practising democracy, we must allow our people to vote. My strength and that of my party is God and the people. We are winning on Saturday,” the governor said.

He urged the people of Esa Oke, Ijesaland and Osun State to resist the temptation of attacks and counter-attacks, stressing that the forthcoming election must be conducted peacefully and that every voter must be allowed to freely cast their ballot.

Bola Bamigbola

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