The Osun State Government will not shield anyone found to be involved in the resurgence of violent crimes in the state, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, has said.
Ojo stated this during a telephone interview in Osogbo on Wednesday while reacting to allegations that the state government was protecting individuals suspected of masterminding the killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi.
Oyeyemi was reportedly killed amid a leadership succession crisis within the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
Two NURTW leaders, identified as Gbedegesin and Kareem Akeem, had alleged in a viral video that Oyeyemi was selected to become the next state chairman of the union after receiving the governor’s endorsement at a meeting with the Commissioner for Transportation, Sesan Oyedele, on Sunday.
They claimed that some union leaders opposed to the alleged government-backed succession were responsible for Oyeyemi’s death.
However, Oyedele denied that the government endorsed Oyeyemi for the position. He said the union leaders who attended the meeting only briefed him about their decision to make Oyeyemi the new state chairman.
Speaking on measures to address the recent violence in the state, Ojo said the government and security agencies were intensifying efforts to restore normalcy.
He disclosed that an emergency security meeting was held on Wednesday following a series of killings linked to cult-related violence and a leadership tussle within the transport union.
According to him, the meeting was attended by the state’s security commanders, including the Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services, Army representatives, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Amotekun Corps.
He said the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, chaired the meeting on behalf of the governor, alongside other senior government officials.
Ojo said the meeting focused on ending the killings and restoring the peaceful atmosphere previously enjoyed in the state.
Addressing allegations that the government was shielding those suspected of involvement in Oyeyemi’s murder, Ojo said no individual would be protected from investigation or prosecution.
“The state government is not shielding anyone. The governor had already said that no one should be spared in the investigation, and that the police and the DSS should investigate the case thoroughly and fish out the killers,” he said.
Ojo added that the Commissioner of Police and other security commanders were working to apprehend those responsible for the recent attacks.
At least five people have reportedly been killed between August 24 and September 15 in Ikire, Ile-Ife and Osogbo in incidents linked to disputes over motor park control and cult-related violence.