Osun State Commissioner for Environment, Mayowa Adejoorin, has been released after spending nearly 24 hours in detention at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo. Police spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed his release on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following a shooting incident that injured three people during an APC rally in Ilesa.
Arrest and Detention Details
According to Ojelabi, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) operatives stopped Adejoorin's vehicle and found an Amotekun operative inside, linking it to the shooting scene. The commissioner was taken into custody for questioning, but his release was confirmed in a telephone interview with The Punch. "The commissioner has been released. He was released today, but the Amotekun that was arrested with him, I can't confirm his release yet because I am still gathering my facts," Ojelabi stated.
Shooting Incident in Isokun Area
The detention stemmed from a shooting that occurred on Saturday during a street rally organized by the Ilesa West Local Government Area chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Isokun area. At least three people were injured, including 14-year-old Tobi Ilesanmi, who was shot near the scene. Ojelabi explained that APC rally-goers spotted a vehicle bearing an official Osun State Government plate number, OSHAO4, parked nearby. Individuals identified as Amotekun personnel emerged from the vehicle and opened fire, causing attendees to flee. One Amotekun operative brandished a knife when pursued but managed to escape.
Police Response and Evidence
IRT operatives deployed in the area responded to the distress call and intercepted a white Lexus 350 approaching the scene. Inside, they found an Amotekun operative and Adejoorin. Both were taken to the command headquarters in Osogbo for questioning. Police recovered four expended cartridges and a pump-action gun at the scene.
APC and Accord Party Trade Blame
The Head of the APC Campaign Council for Ilesa West, Folarin Fafowora, claimed the shooting was linked to the Chief Whip of the Osun State House of Assembly, Wale Akerele, who allegedly arrived at the rally in a vehicle escorted by Amotekun personnel. "From nowhere, they suddenly came out of the vehicle and started shooting. In fact, I had to hide to avoid being hit," Fafowora said.
In response, the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, accused APC members of instigating the violence. "Members of the APC were shooting in the name of the rally, destroying properties that belong to the Accord members. They destroyed the Accord Party secretariat, and the videos are all over the place," Olajengbesi stated. Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Political Context and Tensions
The incident is part of heightened tensions ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State. President Bola Tinubu held a late-night meeting with about 76 Osun APC leaders at Aso Rock Villa following an intelligence report from NSA Nuhu Ribadu. The report warned that key APC figures in Osun had been sidelined from campaign activities. Leaders at the meeting accused Minister Adegboyega Oyetola of distributing federal appointments exclusively to members of his IleriOluwa camp.
Meanwhile, Oyetola addressed APC stakeholders on Saturday, warning that the governorship seat would be reclaimed. He dismissed Governor Ademola Adeleke's endorsement of President Tinubu as insufficient to save his hold on the state. The election has been marked by mutual allegations of intimidation and violence between the two major camps.
