The Chairman of the Accord in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State, Asimiyu Ajibola, popularly known as Baba Isila, was shot by suspected gunmen on Wednesday night in Osogbo.

The shooting has prompted a police investigation into what the state government described as an attempted murder.

Report says the attack occurred at about 10:00 pm around the MDS area of Osogbo, near the Osogbo Community Bank axis, causing panic among residents as gunshots rang out in the neighbourhood.

Report quoted a source in the area, who did not wish to be named, as revealing that“The assailants opened fire on a blue Toyota Corolla conveying Ajibola and his associates while they were travelling through the area.

“The gunmen pursued the vehicle and unleashed a barrage of gunfire in what appeared to be a coordinated attack.

“We were coming from the MDS area of Osogbo and all of a sudden, the gun-wielding men chased and released a volley of bullets on all of us in the car.”

The eyewitness said the occupants managed to escape and sought refuge at the Dugbe Divisional Police Headquarters in Osogbo before the attackers fled the scene.

“We managed to escape to the Dugbe Divisional Police Headquarters in Osogbo where we ran to for protection before the assailants retreated and ran away,” he added.

The Accord LG chairman was subsequently rushed to the University of Osun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where he was admitted for treatment following injuries sustained during the attack.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Osun State Police Command confirmed that it had launched a comprehensive investigation into the shooting.

Police spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the incident occurred along the MDS area of Osogbo when two armed men riding a motorcycle allegedly attacked Ajibola.

The Command said officers immediately responded to the distress call, evacuated the victim to a medical facility and deployed tactical teams to pursue the fleeing suspects.

“Medical personnel have confirmed that Ajibola is in a stable condition and responding positively to treatment.

“Exhibits recovered from the scene are undergoing forensic analysis as investigators work to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, condemned the act and ordered a high-powered investigation into the incident.

He also directed all relevant investigative units to deploy every available resource to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack, identify those responsible and ensure prompt arrest and prosecution.

The Ifo Local Government Council has dismissed reports claiming that Fulani bandits attacked Oluke Community High School and its surrounding community, describing the information as false and misleading.

In a statement, Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Hon. Idris Olalekan Kusimo said there was no attack on the school or any part of the community, contrary to rumours circulating on social media.

The Chairman stressed that no school was targeted and no casualties were recorded.

 Kusimo, urged residents, business owners and students in the Oluke area to remain calm and continue their normal activities without fear.

He noted that security operatives are monitoring the area and that normalcy has been maintained.

Kusimo also warned against the spread of false security reports, saying misinformation could create unnecessary panic and tension among residents.

He urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it and remain vigilant while supporting efforts to maintain peace and security in the community.

According to security officials, including the Amotekun Commandant, Mr. Olufowobi, and community leader, Hon. Francis, the alarm was triggered by the sight of herders peacefully moving with their cattle through the area.

The council reiterated that Oluke Community remains safe and secure.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday, x-rayed the third anniversary of of the President Bola Tinubu administration, lamenting that that it has been characterised by maladministration, poverty, unemployment, mass killings, kidnappings, tampering with democratic federalism and subjugation of other arms of government.

Afenifere, in a statement by its Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Prince Justice Faloye, Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, said it was afraid of the current course of the country’s democracy.

The statement, titled’ Tinubu’s 3 year Report: ‘Summum Malum or Summum Bonum’, urged the administration to change its course towards a one man rule by allowing credible opposition parties and voices to exist.

The statement reads: “On May 29th, formerly Democracy Day, now Inauguration Day, Afenifere is fearful of the current course of our democracy, and commiserates with Nigerian citizens following three years of the inauguration of this maladministration that has bred poverty, unemployment, mass killings and kidnappings, tampering with democratic federalism and subjugation of other arms of government.

“Across the world, citizens are motivated by their governments either with Summum Malum – fear of ultimate evil – violent death, poverty, tyranny, or Summum Bonum – promise of ultimate good – homes, prosperity, security.

“For an administration that came to power on a mantra of renewed hope, we can only dare to hope that our electoral system can do the right thing by the next Inauguration Day due to the following reasons:

“The nightmare of ultimate evil has become a reality under APC administration with teachers being beheaded, children being kidnapped and villages ransacked and displaced.

“The ongoing kidnapping of students and teachers and gruesome murders in Kwara, Oyo and other states is a painful reminder of the Tinubu government’s culpable wilful negligence of not restructuring our security architecture, especially the failure to create state and community Police.

“Nigerians can’t but question whether there is an unholy pact between the APC and terrorists/bandits/mercenaries, following the admittance by some APC stalwarts that they imported terrorists to embarrass President Jonathan out of office in 2015, after which insecurity moved wholesale to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Northwest region, and now to President Tinubu Southwest region.

“Previously, we heard of politicians sleeping in coffins for political pacts with their godfathers, now our whole democracy is wearing coffin shoes under APC governance.’

On the economy, the Yoruba body said: “The ultimate evil is also being witnessed economically, as a result of President Tinubu’s neoliberal economics that has resulted in the poverty rate increasing to 63% and debt of N65.9 trillion for cost of governance and tokenist development projects.

“Despite the concerted efforts and propaganda to cover the true state of the economy, the unimplemented budgets, false revenue and employment statistics, two out of three Nigerians are facing dire circumstances of lack of food and secured shelter.

“Nigeria ranks as the world’s second-largest extreme poor population after India. We also have the highest homelessness in the world with 30 million homeless people. Also, Nigeria now has the world’s lowest life expectancy rate at 54.6 years, 20 years lower than the global average. Nigeria also has one of the world’s highest infant mortality rate.

Therefore Nigerians feel threatened by the replacement of a finance minister that oversaw the drastic fall in living standards with an undertaker tax man bent on sapping blood from our anemic economy.

“Afenifere has insisted from the first day in office that the ideological position of neoliberal economic policies being adopted can never yield good fruits. It is known to breed poverty, great income inequalities, prebendalist governance and ethnic conflicts.

“While the government appeals to the people to make economic sacrifices for the unworkable reforms, government corruption and cost of governance increases.

‘The recent N800 billion campaign finance allegedly deducted from federal allocations to states by APC governors is immoral, illegal and a threat to democratic institutions.”

“This administration has thrown all caution to wind from allocating contracts without due to process to companies belonging to friends and family, to corrupting all arms of government.

“The continued institutional bullying of opposition parties, labour and student unions is a defiant march towards fascism. The independence of our electoral and judicial institutions are being compromised.

Instead of our electoral system evolving to a higher state, new reforms have degraded its moral compass.

“Summarily, in this last year of the administration, Afenifere and other well meaning Nigerians can only have the audacity of hope of a free and fair elections to replace the current Summum Malum/Ultimate Evil with Summum Bonum/Ultimate Good.

“Afenifere hereby implores the Tinubu administration to change its course towards a One Man rule by allowing credible opposition parties and voices to exist, to allow a free and fair election, and to prevent unsavory change and total derailment of our democracy.”