CITIZENS COMPASS— Hundreds of people may have questions to answer following the violence which sent many to their early graves during the Saturday, August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State.
This is because the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, has constituted a panel of enquiry over the killings particularly in the Ikire area of the State.
Adeleke also ordered a Coroner Inquest into the killings which occurred on the eve of the election at Naira and Kobo Junction, Motor Park/Garage Area, Ikire, in Irewole Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, disclosed this in a statement over the weekend,
According to him, the Executive Order establishing the panel will take effect on August 31, 2026, and mandates the inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the August 24 violence, determine the identities and number of victims, establish the immediate and remote causes of the incident and examine whether criminal responsibility is connected to the deaths.
Magistrate Ayokunle Shiyanbola was appointed Chairman of the Coroner Inquest/Panel, while Mr Abiodun Badiora will serve as Secretary.
Other members are AIG (Dr) Aderanti C. Kayode, mni (Rtd); Mr Dele Akintayo; a representative of the Nigerian Bar Association; Comrade Wale Balogun, representing Civil Society Organisations; a community representative from Ikire; and Dr Babatunde Afolabi, who will serve as the Medical/Forensic Representative.
The panel is expected to investigate the circumstances that led to the shootings and killings, including the roles played by security operatives before, during and after the incident.
It will also determine whether live ammunition or other weapons were used during the violence and establish whether their use complied with existing laws, rules of engagement and human rights standards.
The Executive Order gives the panel broad powers to identify any individual, group, security personnel, political actor, transport union member, public official or other person whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the incident.
The panel may recommend criminal prosecution, disciplinary action, compensation for victims and institutional reforms where necessary to prevent a recurrence.
In carrying out its investigation, the panel has been authorised to summon witnesses, demand relevant police and medical records, inspect the scene of the incident and other relevant locations, and receive oral and documentary evidence.
It may also recommend protective measures for witnesses and other persons considered vulnerable to intimidation, harassment or retaliation.
Governor Adeleke directed the preservation of firearms and ammunition records, station diaries, communication logs, incident reports, duty rosters, medical records, autopsy reports, photographs, videos and other materials that may assist the inquiry.
The Executive Order further provides for measures to protect witnesses and families of victims, obtain relevant medical and forensic documentation and maintain peace in Ikire throughout the investigation.
The state government said the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and the Osun State Commissioner of Police had been formally requested to take appropriate interim administrative measures concerning any police officer whose continued operational command could prejudice the inquiry or undermine public confidence in the process.
The panel is expected to commence sitting within seven days of its inauguration and submit its final report to the Osun State Government within 30 days from the date of its first sitting. The period may, however, be extended if necessary with the approval of the Governor.
Victims’ families, eyewitnesses, journalists, transport workers, police officers, medical personnel, civil society organisations, political parties, community leaders, human rights activists and other interested persons have also been invited to submit memoranda and evidence to the panel.
Governor Adeleke assured residents of Ikire, families of the deceased, the injured and the wider public that the incident would be investigated “thoroughly, fairly and transparently.”
The Executive Order further states that “no person found culpable shall be shielded from justice, irrespective of status, office, political connection or institutional affiliation.”
The government, however, cautioned that all allegations remain allegations until established by credible evidence before the Coroner Inquest/Panel.
The establishment of the panel followed the reported violence at Naira and Kobo Junction, Motor Park/Garage Area, Ikire, on August 24, 2026, during which several people were reportedly killed, shot or injured.
Earlier reports indicated that at least five people, including three commercial bus drivers and two passersby, were feared dead following a violent clash at the garage.
The violence was reportedly linked to a dispute over control of the motor park, with allegations that political thugs were involved in the confrontation.
An eyewitness who escaped the scene reportedly told SaharaReporters that the violence was connected to a struggle for control of motor parks following the recent Osun State governorship election.
There were also allegations that the Divisional Police Officer in Ikire, identified as Mr Olatona Bamidele, went to the garage during the incident to clear the road and facilitate access for suspected APC thugs allegedly led by a man identified as Ojuyobo.
The allegations have not been established by the authorities, and the identities and circumstances surrounding those responsible for the reported deaths and injuries are now among the issues the panel is expected to investigate.
According to the reported eyewitness account, political thugs associated with different political interests had been involved in disputes over control of major motor parks across Osun State.
The panel’s inquiry is therefore expected to provide an official account of what happened at the Ikire garage, establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries, determine the roles of security personnel and other actors, and recommend appropriate action where responsibility is established.
The final findings and recommendations are expected to be submitted to the Osun State Government at the conclusion of the inquiry.
