Amotekun Corps in Osun State recently accused a purported soldier of attacking one of its operatives, resulting in the operative’s death. If confirmed to be so by military authorities, it is the height of dysfunction in the security establishment where personnel are expected to work collaboratively to protect the public space, but now apparently harbour rogue elements that constitute security hazards.
The leadership of the corps, early last week, announced the death in hospital of a 35-year-old corps personnel named Peter Tope, who was allegedly attacked the previous day by an assault band led by an Army Private identified as Opejobi Fiyinfoluwa. Osun Amotekun Commander, Isaac Omoyele, told journalists that the encounter took place on Saturday, 26th July, at Ijeda area of Ijebu-Ijesa community.
Omoyele said: “The incident occurred around 5:45p.m. when a soldier, who was recently recruited into the Nigerian Army, launched an unprovoked assault on the Amotekun operative. The soldier, dressed in military camouflage, had approached the Amotekun station in Ijebu-Ijesa with hostile intent and made some uncomplimentary comments about the corps.” He added: “What subsequently followed after his comments was that he and his cohorts launched unprovoked attacked on one Amotekun personnel who was coming on his motorcycle. They reportedly stopped the Amotekun operative and knocked him down from his motorcycle by hitting him with a blunt object on the head. The brutal assault lasted about 20 minutes with no intervention, leaving Tope injured and in a pool of blood.”
According to the Amotekun chief, the soldier and his accomplices left the scene thereafter on commercial motorcycles. Other operatives of the corps moved to help their injured colleague by rushing him to Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesa, and they reported the incident at Divisional Police Headquarters in Ijebu-Ijesa. A report was also lodged with Lt.-Col. Yunusa Isyaku at the Engineering Cantonment in Ede. “Unfortunately, despite efforts to save his life, Officer Peter Samuel Tope succumbed to his injuries early on Sunday morning,” he said.
Omoyele demanded a thorough probe of the incident, vowing that no effort would be spared in ensuring that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice.
Agency reports cited the spokesperson of Osun police command, Abiodun Ojelabi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), as confirming the incident, saying the police were working to arrest the prime suspect. “We have the details of the suspect who is an Army Private,” he said inter alia.
It is good that the military high command has already been notified of the unfortunate incident. The authorities would do well to join efforts to fish out the Army Private being accused and bring him to justice along with his alleged accomplices. If the incident happened as articulated by the Amotekun corps, that soldier has no place in the military establishment and isn’t at all representative of what it stands for. He should be disclaimed, denounced and handed over to the law.
…laments over poor maintenance culture of vehicles in Osun
The Chief Executive Officer of Car-Rankings, Mr Kayode Dagiloke, has disclosed that the automobile company has concluded plans to partner Osun State government in using the company’s vehicles to tackle insecurity in the state.
Dagiloke speaking in Osogbo, the state capital, during the exhibition of some automobiles at Car-ranking a subsidiary of Mikano International, noted that the company is ready to offer automotive solutions to the immediate needs of the people in Osun State.
According to him, Car-rankings aims to bring affordable power generation and automotive solutions to the immediate needs of the people in the environment, while also delivering optimal after-sales services. We want to widen the bracket of people that have access to these efficient products by offering flexible payment plans.
“For most of our cars, they used both petrol and CNG. The state government has been wonderful to us. They have done a lot with us and the result will be out in a couple of days. They’ve patronised us and are ready to use our vehicles for the security department of the state.”
The CEO said one of the gaps noticed in Osun State is the poor maintenance standards when it comes to automobiles, adding that, “We have a proactive routine standard check when it comes to automobile maintenance, which means that vehicles that come to our workshop are properly checked.
“And also, we frequently review training for technicians. If these processes are set as a prerequisite in every workshop, we believe this problem will be a thing of the past.”
The dealership network manager, Mikano Motors, Pan-Nigeria, Oluwaseun Oke, said the Changan vehicles are currently ranked in performance among Chinese brands, adding that in “Nigeria, the cars have a two-year warranty of 600,000 kilometres, which no other competitor is offering at the moment.”
•Frozen foods dealers lose life investments •Electricity company accuses traders of energy theft •Osun govt wades into matter
These are not the best of times for business owners at Orisumbare, the biggest and oldest shopping complex in Osogbo, Osun State. Their sources of livelihood are under severe threat, as the once-bubbling complex is now a shadow of its former self. A prolonged power outage has left many business owners to vacate the structure in search of alternative means of survival.
The business owners left in the complex said they are spending a lot of money on fuel to keep their businesses running. They said abandoning the government-owned shopping complex was only a matter of time.
When our correspondent visited the shopping complex, which was built by a former military governor of Osun State, Col. Theophilus Bamigboye (rtd), on Wednesday evening, the ever-bustling shopping complex was like a ghost town, with only a few traders idly hanging around their shops with forlorn looks.
For the past two months, the complex, which boasts 275 offices, has not had a power supply; a situation that has crippled the businesses of many in the complex. A source said that in the last two months, business owners at the complex have lost more than N500 million as a result of the power outage.
Worst hit are the people in the frozen-food business, whose cold rooms have stopped working. The 10 operators in the complex have ceased operations; their businesses have hibernated. At the time our correspondent visited the complex, some of the operators had exited the complex.
It was gathered that less than a week after the complex was thrown into darkness, many of them lost millions of naira as they could not power their freezers with a generator, a situation which made them lose their investments.
“I don’t know where to start from. I have lost a lot of money. You know our business cannot survive without a power supply.
“Since they plunged this complex into darkness, those of us in the frozen food business have been the most affected.
“The two-month outage has dealt a big blow to our business. I pray that all of us will be able to come back when power is restored,” one of the frozen food dealers who craved anonymity told our reporter.
But frozen food dealers are not the only ones affected; those in the printing business have completely lost a lot to the outage. “Before now, this place was a beehive of activities. Our customers have moved to other places. I doubt if they will ever come back to us,” a printer who also craved anonymity lamented.
Sharing his experience with our correspondent, a phone repairer, Mr Olanipekun Peters, said many customers who got wind of the power outage at the complex had stopped coming to repair their phones.
“I spend an average of N5,000 on fuel every day. I have three other people working in my shop. As it is right now, there is nothing to do,” he said.
He told our correspondent that while power fluctuation in the complex was not strange, what perplexed many was the recent unprecedented increase in the bill for energy consumption from Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC).
Peters said: “Before now, any time they brought a ‘crazy bill’, we would complain and they would adjust it.
“Eventually, IBEDC agents from Ibadan changed the metre in the transformer, and our bill dropped from N1.7 million to N700,000 in the first month.
But it later rose again.”
Lamenting, a hairdresser and owner of Shado Touch, Mrs Sade Bankole, sounded despondent while speaking with our correspondent. Bankole, who said she had spent about 12 years in the complex, explained that even before the present crisis, the power supply had been epileptic. But since the beginning of last year, the situation has worsened.
“ For me, I don’t pay less than N10,000 every month as an energy bill. Unfortunately, the equipment they bill me for is not useful as I underutilized them because of the epileptic power supply.
“Many of us are going through tough times. Now that there has been no light for the past two months, we have been running on a generator.
“If not that we don’t want to shut down the business; it is not worth doing here again.”
Bankole has since stopped buying fuel to run her business as she said she was running at a loss.
Like others, she said that customers had stopped coming.
“If a customer hears that you are going to use a generator to make her hair, she would leave because she knows this would attract an extra charge.”
A tailor, Adeyinka Adeola, narrating his horrible experience, said that things had been very tough in the past two months as a result of the power outage in the complex. “If not that we don’t have another means of surviving, we would have exited. It is beyond what we can endure.
“The hope that power will be restored is what has kept us in the complex. Otherwise, we would have left,” he said.
According to Adeola, those in his line of business are mostly affected, as everything they do depends on electricity. “Nobody is ready to do business with us again, ” he said.
It was gathered that out of the 14 tailors that operated within the complex, only four were still staying with the hope that things would get better, while others had moved out.
Adeola appealed to IBEDC to come to their rescue. “They should please come and restore our light.
“We are not sure whether the light was disconnected or if it is faulty. Nobody is telling us anything.
“What we want is for our light to be restored. We are begging the IBEDC.”
Another tailor, Ganiyu Sadiq, said that since the problem started, he had been running on a generator. “I bought the generator with money from the cooperative, but the business has collapsed. As of today, I have spent over N300,000 on fuel.
“We have been buying N10,000 fuel every two days for the past two months.
“The money spent on fuel is drilling a hole in our pockets. We are still working only because we don’t want to lose our customers and not because it is profitable.”
He confirmed that many business owners had left the complex and many others were planning to leave.
A lawyer, Niyi Adepoju, who has an office within the complex, said the outage had made it difficult for them to do business as clients had stopped coming because they could not print documents.
He said, “Sometimes a client would come, and the next thing you hear is, ‘Oh, this place is stuffy, I can’t stay,’ and they leave.
“We are passing through a horrible experience; unless you are in our shoes, you will not understand.
“Some people have moved out. They have made life difficult for people to stay in the complex right now. It is painful.
“For those using generators, the noise is killing.”
Adepoju appealed to well-meaning people in the state to wade into the matter.
Barr. Dawood Ajetumobi, who has a law firm within the complex, has stopped coming to the office as the money being spent to fuel his generator daily was becoming unbearable for him.
Our correspondent went to his office twice but only met his secretary.
“I know of a person who spends N35,000 every day to run his business. I have stopped coming to the office. Most of my work, I do from home, except when I have an appointment,” Ajetumobi said.
The tenants at the complex made a formal complaint about the discrepancies in the electricity bill to the IBEDC on 16th July, 2025, where the IBEDC was asked to investigate suspected vandalisation of the metre belonging to the complex.
Complex situation
According to a source in the complex, the power situation got worse when the Ibadan IBEDC came to pick the reading of the metre and it was discovered that the complex was being overbilled by the Osogbo IBEDC.
” I think the IBEDC from Ibadan adjusted the metre, which they acknowledged. Unfortunately, they did not inform their colleagues from Osogbo.
“When the Osogbo IBDEC came, they disagreed with the reading of their staff in Ibadan, and that same month, two bills were slammed on the complex before the eventual over N9 million fine from the IBEDC,” a source said, explaining the Genesis of the imbroglio.
“Eventually, when the Osogbo IBDEC came back to pick the reading, we were again told that the metre did not read what we were supposed to be paying; they said it was too low.”
Our correspondent gathered that at the time of writing, there had not been an official reason why the complex was given two bills within a month.
The Nation also gathered that before the power outage, it was not as if the power situation was excellent. But the occupants were content with the monthly N1.2 million bill they were getting from the Ibadan Electric Distribution Company (IBEDC) every month after picking a reading from the transformer serving the complex.
One of the stakeholders said, “Whichever way you look at it, it is better to use IBEDC power. Buying fuel to power your generator is expensive, and if you are not careful, you will operate at a loss. We are begging the IBEDC to restore our light.”
The stakeholders have made frantic attempts to remedy the situation, but all efforts to restore light in the complex were like fetching water in a basket.
Speaking to The Nation, the chairperson of the complex’s traders association, Mrs Lola Atoyebi, said the problem started on May 15 when the complex was disconnected from the electricity supply. “They bought a N1.2 million bill. Five days later, IBEDC brought another bill of N2.3 million. We protested, and the Osogbo District Manager of IBEDC said the new bill should be investigated because, according to him, we could not have consumed so much.
She said, “We contacted our agent, and after the meeting with IBEDC, they said we should go and pay the bill. We asked them if we were paying for the first one or the second one they brought. They said the first one and denied ever being aware of the second bill. It was then that the complex was told to procure another metre.
“Our agent asked if the metre had been damaged, but the person in charge of the metre said it could be repaired.”
While raising money to repair the old metre, IBEDC brought another letter to the landlord of the complex, accusing the complex of tampering with the metre, and was slammed with a N9 million fine.
Finding truce
While the complex has been plunged into darkness, with many unable to work, both the Osun State governor and the Speaker of the House of Assembly were persuaded to intervene. The governor was said to have intervened by writing a letter to the IBEDC for reconnection of the complex, but the intervention was rebuffed as the governor’s letter was never honoured, one of the stakeholders told The Nation.
When the governor’s intervention failed, the stakeholders decided to meet with their landlord, the Osun State Ministry of Commerce. A meeting was scheduled with the IBEDC, but it was deadlocked as the distribution company maintained its stance, insisting that the complex must pay N9 million.
It was gathered that when the meeting between the ministry and the IBEDC failed, the stakeholders again went to the NEC. “The NEC was surprised at the demand of the IBEDC; what they asked us was how IBEDC arrived at the N9 million fine?” our correspondent gathered.
Stakeholders petition IBEDC
On Thursday last week, the lawyers to the complex sent a strongly worded petition titled ‘Demand for immediate repair or replacement of meter no. 252425177 and cancellation of the arbitrary, outrageous, unreasonable and excessive fine issued and served in respect of a/c no. 27/1190/1964-01 and metre no. 252425177 and immediate restoration of energy supply to the ultra-modern complex near IBEDC regional office, Osogbo, Osun state.’
Part of the petition reads: “In May 2025, your officer picked the readings for the month and gave our client a bill of N1,277,722.11. Surprisingly, six days after, in the same month, inexplicably, only to return to issue a second, vastly inflated bill of N2,339385/13, which is far, far above our clients’ lawful consumption, an act that flies in the face of standard practice and common sense.
“The act of double-billing within a single month and your company’s subsequent actions, raise serious questions about the integrity of your billing processes, suggesting foul play and a flagrant disregard for fairness and transparency.
“Such conduct is not only bizarre but also outright illegal, especially given that it contravenes the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s methodology for estimated billing.
“Following our clients’ rightful disputes and protests, your office agreed to conduct a joint inspection of the meter site, an action we appreciated but which ultimately led to a far graver issue.
“Upon inspection, it was discovered that the meter was completely blank—a clear indication that it had incurred some form of malfunction. Instead of addressing this technical fault responsibly, you shamefully laid the blame squarely at our clients’ feet and, without any prior notice or proper due process, disconnected their power supply.
“This immediate disconnection, executed with reckless abandon and without lawful notice, is nothing short of illegal and punitive.
“When our clients sought clarification and engaged with your Business Manager, they were falsely reassured that the issue would be rectified upon payment of first bill of N1,277,722.11, an empty promise that was subsequently betrayed after our clients did the needful by paying the said bill.
“Instead of honouring your commitments, you not only refused to restore power but also, astonishingly, imposed a punitive fine of N9,525,140.30—an action that is arbitrary, capricious, and unsupported by law.
“Despite mounting evidence and lawful protests, our clients resorted to alternative dispute resolution avenues, involving the Osun State Government to mediate and appeal to your sense of fairness.
“For more than two months, all pleas and negotiations fell on deaf ears, leading to the complete paralysis of their business activities and a staggering loss of over a Hundred Million Naira.
“Your blatant disregard inflicts tangible hardships and damages, and such conduct must be condemned in the strongest terms.
“We are of the firm belief that your company has no legally recognised right to arbitrarily determine the units of electricity our clients are expected to consume in a month. Our clients can only be charged based on the consumption taken on their meter and not by any other means.
“Your Company’s action has run contrary to the Methodology for Estimated Billing by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Electric Power Sector Reforms Act
“In light of the foregoing, we demand the immediate cancellation and reversal of the outrageous fine of N9,525,140.30, and we insist on the prompt resumption of electricity supply to our client’s premises without further delay or conditions.
“This letter is written to exhaust all available administrative avenues before we proceed to initiate formal legal action.
“Be advised that if your company continues to refuse compliance, we shall have no choice but to instruct our clients to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction, without further notice or correspondence from us.
“We are looking forward to your understanding, cooperation and strict compliance to save your Company the costs, embarrassments, inconveniences and unnecessary litigation that will surely follow your Company’s default, which your company could have avoided through simple compliance and good faith.
“Thank you and God bless.”
The letter signed by Dawood Ajetunmobi, Esq was jointly written by Abdulfatai Oladiti, Esq; Dawood Ajetunmobi, Esq; Nifemi Oluwamurewa, Esq; Opeyemi Adebayo, and Niyi Adepoju, Esq.
It’s a case of energy theft through meter tampering, says IBEDC
Reacting via a WhatsApp message to The Nation’s inquiries, however, the Regional Head, Osun Region, IBEDC, Ifeanyi Ikeji, said the disconnection of electricity supply to the shopping complex followed the confirmation of energy theft through meter tampering.
Ikeji said: “On May 15, 2025, our technical and commercial teams visited the complex for routine inspection. It was discovered that the meter had been grossly tampered with.
“The three-phase voltage cables had been deliberately removed, and the metering seal forcibly broken. This compromised the integrity of the meter and amounted to a serious breach of regulatory and legal provisions guiding electricity usage in Nigeria.
“Consequently, IBEDC applied appropriate penalties as provided by regulatory frameworks.”
While the stakeholders at the complex insisted that two bills were issued to them, copies of which were made available to The Nation, Ikeji insisted that IBEDC does not issue multiple electricity bills within a single billing cycle.
“Our billing structure remains strictly monthly, and any allegations to the contrary are unfounded,” he said.
While educating the customers of Orisumbare Shopping Complex, he revealed that the total sum charged to the customer covers the assessed penalty for meter tampering, the cost of unmetered energy consumed during the period of tampering (loss of revenue), and the standard reconnection fee, adding: “It is important to stress that these charges are not arbitrary, but are calculated based on industry standards and in full compliance with the guidelines of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).”
To initiate reconnection, Ikeji advised that the customer is required to settle the full amount of the penalty charged.
“Additionally, they are expected to cooperate with our investigations by identifying the individuals who were involved in or facilitated the tampering of the meter,” he said.
In a veiled reference to the intervention of the state government to find a truce between Orisumbare customers and the IBEDC, he said “the IBEDC has not rebuffed any intervention or goodwill effort by the Osun State Government or His Excellency the Executive Governor.
“We remain open to constructive dialogue and are committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders in resolving legitimate issues affecting our customers.”
He, however, warned that IBEDC has a zero-tolerance policy on electricity-related offences, including meter tampering, meter bypass, illegal connections and other forms of energy theft.
He stated further that these acts not only constitute economic sabotage but are criminal offences punishable under Nigerian law.
“Beyond the legal implications, such infractions compromise the safety and sustainability of power distribution, placing unnecessary strain on the network and unfairly affecting compliant customers.
“We urge all customers to refrain from such unlawful practices and instead engage responsibly with us through our approved channels,” Ikeji declared.
Government should end monopoly of energy distribution -Expert
While a truce is being found to avoid multi-million naira investments at the Orisumbare Shopping Complex, an expert in energy matters, Godwin Chukwuemeka, said situations like this will continue to happen as long as the issue of power is monopolised.
“I feel for the customers. There is little they can do. As of now, they still rely on IBEDC to power their business.
“Unfortunately, IBEDC has the knife and the yam. They dictate the terms. I wish there had been an alternative.”
A property owner in Ile Ife, Osun State, Olamide Ayoola, has accused his tenant, Ajibola Owolabi, of converting his apartment into a drinking bar and car wash.
Owolabi is the owner of Rodeo International Hotel in Awoyeku Area, Ile-Ife.
According to Olamide, a two-bedroom flat out of the two units within the premises was rented to Ajibola on July 1, 2024, to house some of his staff on an annual rent.
Olamide said an agreement letter informing Ajibola that no additional structure should be erected on the premises during the tenancy period without his consent was also signed.
Olamide said in October 2024, he was shocked when he received information that Ajibola had allegedly erected a large drinking bar structure within the premises and turned the apartment, including the other unit of a vacant two-bedroom flat, into an extension of his hotel business.
He also alleged that Owolabi opened a car wash business aside from the drinking bar within the premises.
He added that efforts to make Ajibola remove the structures, including involving some prominent traditional chiefs in Ile-Ife, proved futile.
Olamide issued Ajibola a six-month quit notice through his lawyer, Gboyega Amusan, on December 31, 2024, asking the tenant to vacate the premises at the expiration of his tenancy in June 2025.
Olamide alleged Ajibola had yet to vacate the place at the expiration of the quit notice.
On July 2, Olamide said another seven-day quit notice was issued by another of his lawyers, Adekoya Idowu.
Owolabi said he received the quit notice.
He told reporters: “I never had the intention of taking over another person’s property.
“I was only using the place to entertain some of my customers since some of my staff also live there.
“The landlord has been a good man to be, and there was no quarrel between us.
“Since he gave me a quit notice, I have been looking for a way to rent another place and move out.”
Protest erupted at Babasanya-Araka, Area, Ede, Osun State, on Saturday after a Chief Imam simply identified as Kadiri was caught raping an eight-year-old girl(name withheld) after sending her on errand.
The Nation learnt the incident occurred around 12 noon, when the girl’s mother was looking for her daughter, who had left home and failed to return home in time.
An eyewitness, Oladele Oluwatosin, a postgraduate student of Redeemer’s University, Ede, told The Nation: “I was around the area with my colleagues of Group II for the DevComm campaign when the incident happened. We suddenly heard noise at the junction of Babasanya which attracted residents of the area.
“The mother of the girl caught the Chief Imam in a mosque around the area. The mother said her daughter was crying and she was bleeding from her private part.”
Another eyewitness Eyitayo said: “Some of the followers of the Chief Imam wanted to help him escape but angry residents resisted it. The victim was taken to Babasanya Hospital where it was confirmed that the girl had been defiled.
“There was a large crowd at the hospital, the Chief Imam was locked in a room at the hospital and some residents called Amotekun who later took him to their office after which he was handed over to the police at ‘B’ Division, Ede.”
A video of the Chief Imam obtained by The Nation, Kadiri confessed that he had canal knowledge of the girl after he sent her on an errand.
He said: “We lived together in the compound, I know her father and mother. I sent her to help me buy groundnuts and when she returned I defiled her.”
Osun police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed the incident.
Osun State government has expressed readiness to leverage public-private partnerships to advance its economic development agenda, focusing on attracting investments and showcasing the state.
The government said that the strategic approach aligned with Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration, which is promoting infrastructural and social development under the “Imole” initiative to reposition Osun as a prime investment destination.
The government’s efforts were highlighted during the upcoming Osun State Dinner and Investment Roundtable scheduled for October, a key event to foster economic growth through collaboration with private sector stakeholders.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Trade, and Investment, Rev. Bummi Jenyo, officially commissioned the event’s preparations.
Jenyo said that this initiative demonstrates the government’s strategic use of public-private partnerships to stimulate economic growth, attract investment, and project an image of Osun State as a vibrant, business-friendly environment ready for development.
She expressed enthusiasm about the partnerships formed with prime consultants, Mr. Rume Ogane, CEO of Ecosystem Africa Prestige Limited, and Miss Onome Ogo, CEO of Vanom Global Nigeria Limited.
Jenyo emphasised that these collaborations are vital to consolidating the administration’s ongoing efforts to position Osun as an attractive hub for social and infrastructural development.
The event was further reinforced by a recent meeting at the commissioner’s office, where the prime consultants thanked the government for their confidence.
Mr. Ogane, who is also currently serving as a consultant for the Plateau State Tourism Corporation, and Miss Ogo pledged to work closely with the government’s office to explore areas for investment, technical partnerships, sponsorships, and promotional activities.
Their goal is not only to ensure the success of the dinner and investment roundtable but also to support the broader vision of the Adeleke administration for economic revitalisation.
Ido-Ayegunle community in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State has been deserted after gunmen invaded the community, killed four, razed houses and destroyed property over land matter.
The Nation recalls that Ido-Ayegunle and Esa-Oke had been at loggerheads, leading to the destruction of property shortly after Governor Ademola Adeleke appointed a new king for the former community (Ido-Ayegunle) and the latter (Esa-Oke) insisted that an Ilesa indigene could not be made a king on their land.
It was gathered that the gunmen invaded the community around 10 am on Thursday, forcing the residents to run for safety.
It was gathered that during the attack, four people were killed and their bodies were cut into pieces before their remains were dumped into a well.
Speaking with one of the chiefs of Ido-Ayegunle, Obanla, Ibironke Adebusuyi described the attack as barbaric, demanding that the Osun State Government should bring the assailants to book.
Adebusuyi, who spoke with The Nation, said: “Our people were in the community on Thursday doing their normal activities when hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded the community.
“They started shooting, they covered their faces but we could recognise some of them.
“They came from Esa-Oke axis on motorcycles around 10 am. They surrounded our community and brutally killed four people.
“They cut the head of one of them, removed the hand of another and even removed the heart of one of them.
“After killing them, they threw them inside the well and used big stones and slabs to cover them up.
“All the people killed were from Ido Ayegunle.
“We demand that the government ensures those people are brought to book.”
He denied that the attack involved hunters from Esa-Oke and hoodlums from Ido-Ayegunle, saying “Owamiran planned the attack on the community.”
The Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, however, denied the allegation that he masterminded the attack, saying, “If they can substantiate their allegation, they should prove where we met to plan it. My own is that I know nothing about the attack.”
The Osun State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the attack.
He said the police moved swiftly into action, “but the perpetrators, when they saw our men, took to their heels.
“Four people were killed in the clash.
“Some houses were burnt and properties including bikes, generators and streetlights were damaged.
“Nobody has been arrested over the matter but we have recovered some things that could help in our investigation.
“Those people that perpetrated the act will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
The Federal Government is insisting that no state government has a right to control or manage statutory allocations to local governments, whether by way of disbursement or spending under any guise.
It says all the 36 states must comply with a previous judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter.
It wants the apex court to dismiss a suit filed by the Osun State Government seeking the release by the federal government of funds meant for local governments in the state.
The FG claims Osun State has indicated that it wants the release of the LG funds for health and education purposes.
Federal Government’s position is contained in an affidavit deposed to by the Special Assistant to the President (Federal Ministry of Justice), Taiye Hussain Oloyede, in response to Suit No: SC/CV/379/2025 by Osun State against the Federal Government.
The Federal Government’s affidavit reads in part: “I, Taiye Hussain Oloyede, Nigerian, Special Assistant to the President attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice Central Area, Abuja do make oath and say as follows:
“I am a Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCTR and I am attached to the office of the Minister of Justice.
“By virtue of that fact, I know the facts of this case and I have the authority of the defendant and Chief Akin Olujinmi, CON, SAN, lead counsel to the defendant, to swear to this counter-affidavit.
“I have read the affidavit in support of the Originating Summons 9: the plaintiff and admit paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 9 of the affidavit.
Paragraphs 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 24, 24. 2G, 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the affidavit of the plaintiff are not true.
“I have also read the judgment of the Supreme Court in Attorney General of the Federation vs, Attorney General of Abia State & Ors., Suit No.SC/CV/343/2024 delivered on 11th July, 2024 reported in (2922) 17 NWLR (Pt. 1966) 1, in which the following reliefs, amongst others, were granted:
● A declaration that the amount distributed to and standing to the credit of Local Government Councils in the Federation Account can be paid by the Federation directly to democratically elected Iocal government councils.
●A declaration that the amount distributed to and standing to the credit of Local Government Councils in the Federation Account must be paid by the Federation to only democratically elected Local Government Councils and no other body or institution.
●A declaration that by virtue of S.162(3) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the amount standing to the credit of Local Government Councils in the Federation Account shall be distributed to them and be paid directly to them,
●A declaration that a Local Government Council is entitled to a direct payment from the Federation Account of the amount standing to its credit in the said Federation Account.
●A declaration that a State either by itself or its Governor or other agencies has no power to keep, control, manage, or disburse in any manner allocations from the Federation Account to Local Governments,
● An order of injunction restraining the Defendants, by themselves, their privies, agents, officials or howsoever called from further collecting, receiving, spending or tampering with local government council funds from the Federation Account for the benefit of local government Councils,
●An order that the Federation or Federal Government of Nigeria through its relevant officials forthwith commence the direct payment to each local Government Council of the amount standing to the credit of each of them in the Federation account.
● An order of immediate compliance by the states, through their elected or appointed officials and public officers, with the terms of this judgment and orders made in this suit; and successive compliance by successive State Government officials and public officers.
“I know that effectuating direct payment of allocation to local governments in states requires no logistics that the Minister of Finance should comply with beyond paying the allocation due to the accounts of the local governments.
“The local governments are the ones to forward their account particulars to the Minister of Finance.
“I know as a fact that it is those elected in the local government election conducted by the immediate past government of Osun State on the platform of All Progressives Congress that are running the affairs of the local governments, and their tenure will expire at the end of October, 2025.
“This explains why the plaintiff could not say in its affidavit that the local governments in the state have forwarded their account particulars to the Minister of Finance.
“The plaintiff did not state in its affidavit that it had the authority of the local governments of Osun State to institute this suit on their behalf even though as the court held in the judgment referred to above, at page 111F of the report thereof, that the local governments are the owners of the allocation distributed to them.
“The plaintiff has even indicated in its affidavit that it will use the local governments allocation to finance health care system and education contrary to the judgment of this Court quoted above barring state governments including the plaintiff from spending local government money on behalf of the local governments,
“That I know that contrary to the deposition at paragraph 11 of the plaintiff’s affidavit that the judgment it referred to delivered by the Federal High Court has been set aside by the Court of Appeal.
“On 22nd May, 2025 the defendant, Hon. Attorney- General of the Federation, told me in his office at the Central Area, Abuja at about 3.00pm, and I verily believe him, that contrary to the deposition of the plaintiff at paragraphs 21 and 22 of its affidavit was not addressed to him and he could therefore not have replied to same.
“That on the same 22nd May, 2025, the Minister of Finance told Chief Akin Olujinmi, CON, SAN, in my presence at about 3.15 pm. in the office of the defendant at the Central Area, Abuja and I verily believe him that:
●contrary to the deposition at paragraphs 23 and 24, of the plaintiff’s affidavit, he at no time said that he acted on the instruction of the defendant or anybody for that matter and further that the Federation has never withheld the funds due to Osun State or the local governments therein
●that the local governments of Osun State have given their account details to the office of the Minister of Finance for the receipt of their allocation monthly.
“I know as a fact that based on the order made by this Court in its judgment referred to above, the monthly allocation due to local governments in each state of the Federation should be paid directly to the local governments.
“It is also clear in the judgment that no state should collect or receive the monthly allocation due to the local governments or spend the money for the benefit of the local governments.”
In a written address by Akin Olujinmi (SAN), leading seven other counsel, the Federal Government said Osun State was being deceitful.
It said Osun State wanted the council funds to be paid to it, contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
It described the demands of the Osun State Government as “shocking.”
It said there is no proof before the court to show that the state government has the backing of legally elected local governments in the state to initiate the suit.
The Federal Government said: “The complaint of the plaintiff in this case is that the statutory allocation due to the 30 Local Government Councils of Osun State for the month of March 2025 was not paid to the plaintiff by the Minister of Finance.
“The plaintiff admitted that he was aware of the decision of this Court in Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney General of Abia State & Ors (supra) in which it was decided that henceforth statutory allocations due to local governments in each state should be paid directly to the local governments.
“The plaintiff further admitted that before the current State Government came into office, the former Government conducted local government election which was won by the political party of the former State Government, the All Progressives Congress, and they were the ones running the local governments.
“The plaintiff however added that the election conducted by the former State government was nullified by the Federal High court but failed to disclose that the judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified the election had been set aside by the Court of Appeal.
“The effect of the judgment of the Court of Appeal Exhibit A to the counter-affidavit, is that the tenure of those who were elected into the local government councils under the former administration comes to an end in October, 2025.
“It is those who were elected into the local governments during the term of the former State Government that are running the affairs of the councils currently.
“This explains why the plaintiff could not claim that the local governments in the state have forwarded their account details to the Minister of Finance for the direct payment of their statutory allocation.
“The plaintiff, however, by this suit wants the allocation due to the local governments to be paid to her contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court referred to above.
“It is indeed shocking to find the plaintiff State claiming at paragraphs 15 and 16 of its affidavit that notwithstanding the clear decision of the Supreme Court in the judgment referred to above barring states from collecting or receiving the allocation due to the local governments in the state, that it had collected such allocations from July 2024 to February 2025 in disobedience to the judgment.
“The plaintiff state could not also claim that it was authorized by the local governments to institute this suit on their behalf. But the plaintiff state is by this suit seeking to overturn the judgment of the Supreme Court by now by asking that the Minister of Finance should pay the allocations due to the local governments to her.
“The Plaintiff has even disclosed that it will take the initiative from the local governments on how they will want to spend their money and on its own spend the money to finance the healthcare system and education.”
The Federal Government raised preliminary objection to the suit because, as it said, Osun State Government has no locus standi to institute it.
It said: “Without any doubt therefore, the plaintiff state has not shown any dispute between her and the Federation. If there is anybody that may have a grievance for the alleged non-payment of the allocations due, it is certainly not the plaintiff state but the local government councils in Osun State who are the “owners of the money” distributed to them, which by the judgment of the Supreme Court referred to above, must be paid directly to them.
“Of course, if wrongly deprived of their allocation after it has been distributed, the local governments are entitled to sue the Minister of Finance for payment of the allocation due to them in the appropriate court.
“The alleged failure of a functionary of the Federal Government, in this case, the Minister of Finance as canvassed by the plaintiff, even if true which is not conceded, does not qualify as a dispute capable of triggering the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
“The contention of the defendant in this ground of objection is that this suit as constituted does not fit into the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Section 232(1) of the 1999 Constitution which is exercisable only inn dispute between the Federation and a State or between States in so far as that dispute involves any question (whether of law or fact) on which the existence of extent of a legal right depends.
“The plaintiff has not disclosed any dispute, let alone a justiciable dispute, between Osun State and the Federal Government.
“In support of this contention, we rely on paragraphs 9, 10, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the plaintiff’s’ affidavit.”
The Federal Government said the suit amounted to disobedience of the order of the Supreme Court.
“We submit, nobody has a right to disobey the judgment of the court and still come back to the same court whose process the state in this case has spurned, and ask the court to make fresh orders on its behalf to continue to disobey the judgment of the court.
“We submit that the only way to vindicate the authority of this Court is to order the plaintiff to pay back to the Minister of Finance all the money due to the local governments of Osun State which the plaintiff claimed it had collected from July 2024 to February, 2025. The Minister of Finance will then pay the money to the “owners of same” i.e. the local governments of Osun State.
“Accordingly, we humbly urge the Court to uphold this objection and decline hearing the plaintiff and dismiss this case,” it added.
The Osun State Government is seeking an order of the Supreme Court to compel the Federal Government to release the withheld allocations and to restrain it from further withholding or suspending payments due to the state’s local councils.
It asks the apex court to decide whether the withholding of the funds, despite the existence of democratically elected councils, is lawful.
It wants the court to declare the action of the federal government as not only illegal but also a threat to the existence and governance of its local government institutions.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Ogungbile Adeola Olusola, in a sworn affidavit in support of the originating summons, claimed that the continued seizure of the funds could paralyse critical sectors such as education and healthcare across the state.
He said: “If the defendant is not urgently restrained from further withholding…the local government councils would not be able to function and perform their constitutional obligations.
“The continuous seizure…would cripple the governance and subsistence of the local government councils and, by extension, the governance of the state itself.”
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and astute political activist Kunle Rasheed Adegoke has officially declared his intention to contest the 2026 Osun State gubernatorial election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adegoke’s declaration comes amidst a flurry of political activities as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, civil societies and other stakeholders prepare for the August 2026 Osun State gubernatorial election.
The Osun State election is seen by observers as a litmus test for the Nigerian political system, coming a year ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Popularly known as K-RAD, Adegoke is making a second bid for the APC’s ticket, following his participation in the 2018 APC primaries.
A native of Osogbo, Adegoke is well respected for his legal expertise and political and human rights activism within and outside the state.
Adegoke’s socio-political platform, “Tiwa N Tiwa L’Osun” emphasises economic revitalisation and socio-political development.
He has articulated a comprehensive blueprint (Assured Future) aimed at transforming Osun State’s critical sectors including economy, focusing on job creation, infrastructure development, and improved public services.
He also underscored the importance of pragmatic solutions to the state’s challenges, moving beyond ethnic, bloc or regional considerations.
Political observers said Adegoke stands shoulder high in the contest for the APC ticket citing his expertise, experience and activities within the APC, Osun State and the nation in general.
He is widely respected as a bridge-builder and had been lauded for his efforts to unify the APC in Osun State. During the 2018 primaries, his candidacy was seen as a bridge between the party’s factions, earning him the moniker “saviour” in certain circles.
His legal background and commitment to party ideals have positioned him as a respected figure capable of fostering cohesion within the APC.
As the 2026 election approaches, the APC’s ability to navigate internal dynamics and present a cohesive strategy will be crucial. Adegoke’s emphasis on competence and policy-driven leadership positions him as a candidate focused on substantive governance issues, potentially appealing to a broad electorate seeking effective solutions to the state’s challenges.
Observers said the coming months would be pivotal for the APC as it selects its gubernatorial candidate.
They argued that the party’s decision-making process would need to balance considerations of regional representation, candidate competence, and electoral viability to maximize its chances of success in the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
In the 2018 primaries, Adegoke, while raising concerns about certain anomalies, had chosen to remain faithful to the party’s decision, emphasizing his commitment to democratic principles and party loyalty and unity.
While K-RAD personally has been a consistent advocate of meritocracy, holding that leadership should be determined by competence and the ability to deliver good governance, rather than regional affiliations, his declaration has also deepened ongoing debate about APC’s zoning arrangements for the upcoming election.
Some party members have advocated for zoning the governorship ticket to Osun West to promote fairness and inclusivity.
Despite his stance against zoning, Adegoke’s Osogbo origin has sparked discussions about regional representation in Osun’s political landscape.
Some stakeholders argued that Osogbo, having not produced a governor since the state’s creation, deserves the opportunity.
However, others caution against concentrating power in one senatorial zone, suggesting that such a move could alienate other regions and impact the party’s electoral prospects.
Adegoke’s candidacy added to a growing list of APC aspirants vying for the governorship ticket. These included the party’s National Secretary, Dr. Ajibola Basiru (SRJ), Asiwaju Muniru Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO); Senator Hassan Hussein; Iyiola Omisore; Dotun Babayemi and Senator Babajide Omoworare.
Political analysts said the growing list of eminent personalities contesting for the APC ticket presents a major challenge of managing these ambitions to prevent internal discord and ensure a united front in the August 16 2026 gubernatorial election.
Two members of the House of Representatives of Osun State, Bamidele Salam and Oluwole Oke are bickering over claim of leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) lobbying Governor Ademola Adeleke to the party in Osun State.
The Nation recalls that APC had said Adeleke made a move to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and join the APC ahead of 2026 election, but the plan was truncated.
However, Salam, representing Ede South, North, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, on his verified Facebook page denied the claim that Adeleke had made move to join APC.
He said: “Governor Adeleke has never expressed any intention to move to the APC rather it is the top leaders of the party asking him to come and he has consistently told them no.”
Meanwhile, Oke, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, who recently dumped PDP for APC, queried that “how can APC Leaders at the centre be alleged to be begging Governor Adeleke to join Apc ? That’s lies from the pit of hell , Haba !”
He continued: “If I were Governor Adeleke , I will summon courage and fight the ruling Government like Governor Aregbesola did in 2014 and face the consequences in 2026 . It’s either I win or lose . Gov Adeleke after all mustn’t come back in 2026. He has made his name as a Governor of Osun State.”
Earlier, APC in a statement slammed Salam noting that the lawmaker is not being alive to contemporary happenings in his party, saying: “We may excuse the ignorance of Salam as the position he is occupying necessitates him to, at least, voice out a statement to show his continuous allegiance to the country home where rests the absolute authority for his reelection aspiration in the next dispensation.
“How on earth would the leadership of the thriving APC which is in the total control of the administration of all the local government council areas in the state and had successfully harvested all the leading lights in the PDP be begging the head of such rudderless government to join our party? It doesn’t add up.
“The crux of the matter is that the perplexed and visibly confounded Adeleke has been running helter-skelter from Osogbo to Abuja to Lagos to London to America to Canada to Dubai to France with a view to defecting into our party without luck.”
