One person was reportedly killed and several others injured on Tuesday after a violent confrontation broke out between supporters of the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
Witnesses reported sporadic gunfire across several parts of the city, including Owode, Aisu, Olaiya, and Oke-Fia, sending residents fleeing in panic.
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party, in a statement signed by its chairman, Pastor Victor Babalola Akande, alleged that gun-wielding political thugs associated with the APC governorship candidate in the state, Bola Oyebamiji, unleashed violence on residents and motorists in Osogbo, the state capital,Witnesses reported sporadic gunfire across several parts of the city, including Owode, Aisu, Olaiya, and Oke-Fia, sending residents fleeing in panic.
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party, in a statement signed by its chairman, Pastor Victor Babalola Akande, alleged that gun-wielding political thugs associated with the APC governorship candidate in the state, Bola Oyebamiji, unleashed violence on residents and motorists in Osogbo, the state capital, killing one person and injuring several others.
According to Akande, the armed men, said to be supporters of Oyebamiji and operating under the banner of “AMBO by Ajisope,” moved through parts of Osogbo in a convoy of six branded Sienna buses, allegedly firing live ammunition at residents and road users.
The Accord Party claimed that the violence began from Akoda and extended to Oke-Fia, forcing residents and motorists to flee for safety.
Akande alleged that at Owode-Ede, the armed men numbering more than 20, and reportedly led by a political figure identified as Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, recorded their first casualty when a trader was struck by a bullet and died on the spot.
Eyewitnesses quoted in the statement further alleged that the attackers were accompanied by police officers and deliberately targeted individuals wearing Accord Party face caps or items perceived to indicate support for Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Akande also referenced a case of a victim said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital for gunshot wounds with allegedly identified APC thugs and AMBO supporters as those responsible for the attack.
According to Akande, at least three persons sustained life-threatening gunshot injuries and were receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals as of the time of filing the report, while several others reportedly suffered varying degrees of injuries.
Condemning the incident, the Accord Party described the attacks as a dangerous escalation of political violence in the state.
“We hereby condemn this attack as a dangerous escalation of political violence and a direct threat to democracy, public peace and the safety of innocent citizens,” Akande stated.
The party called on the Inspector-General of Police to launch an immediate investigation into the incident and prosecute all those found culpable.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately order a thorough investigation into these attacks, identify all those involved, regardless of their political affiliations, and ensure that they are brought to justice without delay.”
Akande also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevail on key APC figures in the state.
“We also call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rise above partisan/family considerations and urgently call former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, to order before their supporters plunge Osun State into avoidable chaos and bloodshed,” he said.
“No election is worth the life of any citizen. Political actors must conduct themselves within the bounds of the law and democratic decency.
“We urge security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further breakdown of law and order and reassure residents of their safety.”
Efforts to get the comments of the Osun State Police Command on the incident failed as the Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, did not answer calls made to his mobile phone number.
The incident comes amid growing political tensions in Osun State ahead of the 2026 governorship election, with parties intensifying campaigns and mobilising supporters across the state.
On Monday, the Osun State APC governorship campaign council accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of deploying Amotekun operatives to guard a family-owned business in Ondo State.
At a press conference in Abuja, Oluwole Oke, a member of the House of Representatives and director-general of the campaign council, alleged that the facility, Pacific Energy Company, located along the Benin-Ore road, belongs to Deji Adeleke, the governor’s elder brother.
Cc: SaharaReporters