The Osun State Police Command has confirmed that there were shootings around the Naira and Kobo Garage in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area, amid reports that five people were allegedly killed during a dispute over control of the motorpark.
According to the Facebook posts by Osogbo Updates and Adeleke Youth Development Initiative, the reported victims were said to include three commercial bus drivers and two passersby. However, the police said they were still gathering information before confirming whether there were casualties.
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The state police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the shooting to PREMIUM TIMES via a phone call on Tuesday.
“We are still gathering the information as to what is happening there. I can only confirm there were shootings around that area,” Mr Ojelabi said.
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The reported incident has heightened concerns over the growing political tension in Osun following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the 15 August governorship election and attempts by his supporters to assert control over APC-led garages and local government secretariats across the state.
What happened in Ikire
The reports about the Ikire incident began circulating on social media, with claims that a confrontation broke out at the Naira and Kobo Garage after some individuals allegedly attempted to take control of the facility.
A report posted by Oshogbo Update claimed that three commercial bus drivers and two passersby were killed during the incident.
The report also alleged that the Divisional Police Officer in Ikire, Olatona Bamidele, went to the garage to clear the road and facilitate access for people described as thugs to take over the garage.
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Although the claims could not be independently verified by PREMIUM TIMES, as Mr Ojelabi said the Command is still investigating the incident and had not established the reported death toll.
The development comes against the backdrop of heightened political competition in Osun, where disputes over control of transport unions and grassroots political structures have continued even after the governorship election.
Disputes are rooted in the prolonged contest over who should control Osun’s transport garages, with major rival political parties, Accord and the All Progressives Congress, laying competing claims to the union leadership.
The post-election developments have therefore raised concerns that the political transition following Mr Adeleke’s re-election could trigger fresh confrontations at the grassroots level.
Mr Adeleke won the governorship election on the Accord Party platform, securing 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who polled 444,815 votes.
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