In a shocking and tragic turn of events, gunmen have killed Remi Abass, the recently reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government in Osun State, just hours after he arrived at the local government secretariat with his supporters. The chilling attack occurred on Monday, sending shockwaves through the region and raising questions about the growing political unrest in the state.
According to sources close to the incident, armed assailants, believed to be thugs, ambushed Abass and his entourage as they made their way to the secretariat. The assailants opened fire on the group, resulting in the untimely death of the chairman. The attack has sparked fears of further violence in the state as tensions rise.
In the aftermath of the attack, security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) moved swiftly to arrest several suspected thugs allegedly involved in the chaos. The situation has drawn national attention, with many questioning the underlying motives behind the attack.
SaharaReporters reached out to Osun State Police spokesperson, SP Opalola Yemisi, for a statement regarding the ongoing investigation. However, repeated attempts to contact her were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered and messages remained unresponded.
This shocking assassination comes amidst an escalating political feud in Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke has been vocal about what he perceives as a dangerous plot orchestrated by Gboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. Adeleke has accused Oyetola of masterminding an attempt to instigate violence and unrest in the state by issuing illegal directives to security forces, all in a bid to enforce the controversial return of sacked local government chairmen.
At a press conference on Sunday, Governor Adeleke raised alarm about what he described as a “bloodthirsty” plan. He claims that Oyetola, in collaboration with key security officials, including the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the DSS, and the Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps, has been using his influence as a nephew of President Bola Tinubu to carry out these unlawful actions.
Adeleke insisted that President Tinubu, a staunch democrat, would never endorse actions that could lead to bloodshed. He warned that Oyetola’s alleged scheme, set in motion on Monday, could push Osun State into an irreversible state of chaos. “The evil plot being spearheaded by Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, in active collaboration with security agencies, is an affront to the very foundation of democracy,” Adeleke stated.
The governor also clarified that the local government chairmen in question had been dismissed by two separate Federal High Court judgments before his tenure began. He firmly dismissed claims that his administration was responsible for their removal and emphasized that their reinstatement was unlawful.
Adeleke called on President Tinubu and the public to intervene and prevent what he described as a gross abuse of power that could destabilize Osun State. “We see this as a betrayal of the trust reposed in Osun’s security officers by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the governor remarked.
The killing of Remi Abass has added fuel to an already volatile situation, with the people of Osun State and the nation at large waiting to see how the government will address the unfolding crisis. The death of the Irewole chairman has left many wondering: Is this a tragic consequence of political infighting, or a grim sign of something far darker lurking beneath the surface?
PIONEER NEWS 