- Gunshots were fired during a violent clash between PDP and APC members at Osogbo Local Government Secretariat
- Armed police and security forces were deployed as tensions escalated across Osun State
- PDP members at Olorunda LGA resisted an APC attempt to take over, leading to further unrest
Violence erupted at the Osogbo Central Local Government Area in Oke Baale on Monday, February 17, as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed while attempting to enter the council secretariat.
The incident, which involved gunshots and street violence, caused chaos in the vicinity.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire near the entrance to the secretariat, while a bloody altercation between two men, believed to be associated with one of the political factions, was observed.
A source close to the scene indicated that one of the men was badly injured. The fight took place in the midst of ongoing gunshots, which sent locals fleeing and left Osogbo/Ibokun Road, which runs past the secretariat, deserted.
Armed police officers were quickly deployed to the area, with a visible presence at the entrance to the local government offices. However, the gunmen, identified as suspected political thugs, continued firing sporadically, creating panic among residents.
Further incidents unfolded across Osun State, with other local government secretariats also experiencing tensions.
At the Atakumosa West Local Government Secretariat, a former member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Festus Komolafe, led elected APC members into the premises. However, the group soon left after a brief appearance.
Meanwhile, at the Egbedore Local Government Secretariat in Awo, PDP members were seen wielding canes, singing and chanting at the entrance, openly daring APC members to challenge them.
Tensions were similarly high in Ayedaade Local Government Area, where APC members arrived at the Gbongan secretariat early in the morning.
In another development, APC officials who had been elected during the 15 October 2022 local government elections in Osun State resumed office at the Boripe Local Government Secretariat in Iragbiji without incident.
However, attempts by APC members to seize control of the Olorunda Local Government Secretariat in Igbona, Osogbo, were met with strong resistance from PDP supporters.
At around 9:20 am, when our correspondent arrived at the Olorunda LGA secretariat, police and security operatives, including officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Amotekun Corps, had established a barricade at the junction leading to the premises. The gate to the secretariat was locked, and no one was permitted to enter.
Tensions continued to rise as PDP members, angered by the attempted APC takeover, gathered outside the gates.
In a dramatic escalation, two individuals who had been recording the unfolding events from a nearby building were reportedly attacked by thugs, their phones smashed, and the victims assaulted.
Some of the assailants were said to be armed with charms, further stoking fear in the area.
The situation prompted intervention from Osun State's Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Gani Olaoluwa, who addressed the PDP members gathered at the scene.
"We thank you for heeding our call. We won’t allow any illegal takeover here. No court judgement restored them," Olaoluwa told the crowd, urging calm and promising that the authorities would not permit unlawful actions.
Despite the intervention, the situation remains tense, with the security forces maintaining a strong presence across key locations in Osogbo and other parts of Osun State.
LGs should manage their funds, Supreme Court rules in local government autonomy suit
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that In a led judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim on Thursday, July 12, the seven-man panel unanimously said it was unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.
The court ruled that since paying local governments through states had not worked, their allocation from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to them.
