Tension in Osun as Hoodlums Attempt to Take Over Local Government Secretariats
Panic has gripped residents of Osun State following an attempt by armed hoodlums to seize control of local government secretariats across the state, News360 Nigeria reports.
Gunshots were heard in several council areas on Monday morning, sending residents into fear. Many pupils and students, who were on their way to school, turned back, while commercial drivers hurriedly left the affected areas.
Reports indicate that as early as 8:00 a.m., armed individuals stormed multiple council offices, including those in Osogbo and Olorunda, attempting to force their way in. However, the presence of security operatives prevented them from accessing government facilities.
At the Olorunda secretariat, sacked local government chairmen affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly arrived to reclaim their offices but were resisted by loyalists of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and security personnel. Similar incidents occurred in Iragbiji, Odo-Otin, Ife Central, and other parts of the state.
In Ifelodun Local Government Area, a violent clash erupted between suspected APC and PDP loyalists at the council secretariat, despite the deployment of security agents.
The crisis follows Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent warning about an alleged plot by his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, to forcefully reinstate the sacked local government chairmen. Oyetola, however, has maintained that the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure ordered their reinstatement, urging Adeleke to respect the judgment.
Security operatives remain on high alert as tension continues to rise across Osun State.