Unidentified gunmen have reportedly shot and killed Remi Abass, the recently reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government in Osun State.
The attack occurred on Monday as Abass arrived at the council secretariat with his supporters, sources revealed.
Armed assailants, believed to be thugs, ambushed the group, leading to the fatal shooting.
Meanwhile, security forces, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), have apprehended several individuals suspected of involvement in the violence.
Efforts to reach Osun State Police spokesperson SP Opalola Yemisi for confirmation proved unsuccessful, as she neither answered calls nor responded to messages.
The incident follows recent political tensions in Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of attempting to incite unrest.
Adeleke alleged that Oyetola, leveraging his ties as President Bola Tinubu’s nephew, was issuing unauthorized directives to security agencies to facilitate the reinstatement of sacked local government chairmen.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the governor warned that the alleged plot, if executed, could plunge the state into turmoil.
He insisted that President Tinubu, whom he described as a true democrat, would not support actions that could lead to bloodshed.
Adeleke clarified that the affected council chairmen had been removed based on two Federal High Court rulings before he assumed office, countering claims that his administration was responsible for their dismissal.
He called on the president and the public to intervene, warning that the abuse of power by certain political figures could destabilize the state.
