Osun park leadership clash leaves one dead, Adeleke orders arrests

A chieftain of the Accord Party in Osun State, Olalekan Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir, has reportedly been shot dead in Ile-Ife during a fight over control of a motor park in the town.

Sources told our correspondent that Ajagungbade was attacked at a meeting held around Mayfair in Ile-Ife at about 1:20 pm on Sunday. Details of how Ajagungbade was attacked and killed were not immediately available.

However, a video clip showing him lying face down in a vehicle in a pool of blood had gone viral on social media on Sunday.

The fight, following clashes involving Ajagungbade’s men and a rival group, later spread to other areas in Ife, it was learnt.

A security source, who craved anonymity since he was not authorised to comment on the incident, said Ajagungbade and his men came under attack at a meeting held with some drivers at Mayfair, Ile-Ife.

He further said, “At about 1:25 pm, we received a distress call that there was chaos around Mayfair, Ile-Ife. Olamilekan, popularly called Emir, was shot at Mayfair Motor Park.

“We were told that Ajagungbade and his men were fighting with one man identified as Sibi. It was during the fight that Ajagungbade was shot in the head. It was a leadership tussle over control of the motor park. Police operatives have taken over Mayfair motor park.

“But after escaping from the scene of the fight, the vehicle conveying Sibi and his men was involved in an accident. The car ran into an 18-seater bus along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.”

Efforts to reach the Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, failed as calls to his mobile line rang out, and responses to messages sent to him were still awaited at the time of filing this report.

Shortly after news of the deceased’s death spread, gunshots were reportedly heard in some areas in Osogbo, the state capital, forcing residents to stay indoors to avoid being hit.

Our correspondent monitoring the development around Ajagungbade’s death reports that gunshots were heard around Isale Osun and Asoje areas of the state capital.

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, to arrest all those involved in the killing of Ajagungbade immediately.

The directive was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, and obtained in Osogbo on Sunday.

Adeleke, who was responding to Ajagungbade’s killing, which he said “allegedly resulted from a park leadership tussle,” further directed the immediate vacation of the motor parks by warring groups and the establishment of a Park Management System with immediate effect.

While calling for calm among the citizenry, the governor further directed security agencies to restore normalcy across the motor parks and ensure the maintenance of law and order across the state.

The governor promised to “issue an Executive Order for the establishment of a park management system to restore discipline and orderliness across motor parks in the state.”

The governor charged the Commissioner of Police to “act immediately to arrest all those involved. Law and order must be maintained. There will be no sacred cows as all culprits will be brought to book.”

The statement further read, “We call on members of the public to remain calm. We will ensure restoration of peace in all the affected parks and areas. The security agencies are under instruction to ensure the sustainability of peace at all costs.

“We are reintroducing the Park Management System. I will soon issue an executive order to give effect to the new management system to manage parks and garages across the state.”