The House of Representatives has decided to intervene in the security crisis in Osun State by setting up an ad hoc committee to conduct an investigation.
This decision followed a motion presented by Honourable Bamidele Salam, who emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The House also urged security agencies to restore peace and order in the state.
The resolution was prompted by the killing of at least six individuals on Monday during unrest linked to a controversial Court of Appeal ruling that allegedly reinstated All Progressives Congress (APC)-elected local government chairmen and councillors.
Attempts by the reinstated APC officials to retake control of the local governments led to clashes in areas such as Osogbo, Ikire, and Irewole. These events resulted in the death of Remi Abbas, one of the reinstated council chairmen, along with others.
The crisis has sparked a blame game between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition APC, with both parties accusing each other of inciting violence.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru called for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state. In contrast, Osun State Commissioner for Information Kolapo Alimi dismissed the call, accusing the APC of deliberately creating chaos to destabilize the state.
Responding to a question on what the solution to the current political crisis in Osun State should be, Senator Basiru said, “I will suggest that perhaps it will be necessary for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency. It has gotten to that stage where hapless people coming from farms are attacked by uncontrollable PDP thugs.
But Alimi rejected the call for a state of emergency, saying, “I call on our amiable president to reject the call of Honourable Bashiru and his cohorts. That is exactly what they are targeting, they deliberately caused mayhem in this state.
“We are going to publish the names of our members that have been killed. There is no court of appeal that restored them, we urge them to toe the line of peace.”