Osun LG Election: Abass Family Defends Oyetola, Egbetokun Over Death Of Suspect In Police Custody
The family of slain former Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Remi Abass has dissociated former governor Adegboyega Oyetola now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, from the death of Mr. Ademola Adelugbin Apomu, one of the suspects arrested in connection with his murder.
Sahara Reporters had reported that Apomu, alongside six others, were arrested by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Police on the instructions of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, allegedly on Oyetola’s directives.
The medium reported that Jooda Ambaliyu Babajide, Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Ikire, was the first to be arrested and detained for about a month before a court granted him bail.
However, findings by Sahara Reporters revealed that Oyetola was displeased with the court’s decision. With the reported backing of the IGP, Babajide was rearrested—this time along with six others—and all were transferred to the IRT facility, where Apomu later died in custody.
The individuals arrested and detained were identified as Jooda Ambaliyu Babajide (60), Abubakar Kabiru a.k.a. Jeje (38), Ademola Adelugbin Apomu (40), Ibrahim Fatai (45), Tajudeen Opeyemi (30), Akeem Agbomojo (28), and Akintoye Olayemi (40)—all natives of Osun State.
OSUN DEFENDER had reported that Abass died at the premises of Irewole local government on February 17, 2025, in a fracas that erupted during the takeover of councils by the sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) Yes/No local government officials, who had relied on a controversial Court of Appeal Judgement.
But in a statement on behalf of the family on Tuesday, Mr. Oladipupo Abass described the story as misleading, dissociating the Minister and Egbetokun from issues surrounding Apomu’s arrest and death.
He explained that the family had reported the former council boss’s death to the police which led to the arrest of the individuals.
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The statement reads, “The members of the public are aware of the gruesome murder of our father, Hon. Remi Abass, on 17th February, 2025 in Irewole Local Government.
”Following this sad incidence, a formal complaint was made to the police who hurriedly swung into action. Thorough investigation into the murder led to the arrest of some people, including some notorious thugs reasonably suspected to be connected with the assassination of the Chairman.
“One of the people arrested in that regard was the person who reportedly died in hospital.
“We wish to state that the position portrayed by the Sahara Reporters is far away from the truth and it was done with the sole aim to malign the reputable name of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E Gboyega Oyetola and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
“We are using this medium to inform the general populace that the Nigeria Police Force is acting on the complaint lodged by the family via one of the deceased junior brothers, Mr Oladipupo Abass while the family lawyer, Muhydeen Adeoye (Galadima) watches brief for the family.
“Therefore, attributing the arrest of the suspects to the minister as done by the Sahara Reporters is nothing but a careless abuse of online facility and a likely sponsored waste effort to score a cheap political goal. It is disappointing that a self acclaimed news reporter would be so sad to the extent that investigation leading to arrest of people suspected to have involved in a gruesome murder of an innocent person would become a tool to blackmail a gentle and intelligent brain in the person of the H. E. Gboyega Oyetola.
“We are calling on Sahara Reporters to bring down the story and equally apologize to the two principal names fingered in the mischievous report in the next 24 hrs (sic) as we cannot allow scrupulous element (sic) to give political colouration to the justice we are seeking for our beloved family member,” Abass stated.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
