By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Osun State Police Command has released the state Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, after he spent nearly 24 hours in police custody over a shooting incident in Ilesa.
Adejoorin was taken into custody on Saturday after violence erupted during an All Progressives Congress campaign rally in the Isokun area of Ilesa West Local Government Area.
Three people were reportedly injured during the incident, including 14-year-old Tobi Ilesanmi, who was said to have been shot close to the rally venue.
The commissioner was reportedly passing through the area when police tactical officers responding to the shooting intercepted his vehicle.
According to the police, an Amotekun operative and another occupant were found inside the vehicle and taken to the command headquarters in Osogbo for questioning.
Osun Police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said investigators were trying to establish the level of involvement of those arrested in the incident.
He said four spent cartridges were recovered from the scene, while a pump-action firearm was also recovered from an Amotekun operative.
Ojelabi said the police tactical teams had been deployed to different locations across the state and that the team closest to the scene responded after receiving information about the shooting.
The incident has triggered conflicting accounts from political groups in the state.
The APC Campaign Council in Ilesa West alleged that the shooting occurred towards the end of its rally and claimed that armed Amotekun personnel accompanying a vehicle became involved in the confrontation.
The campaign council’s head, Folarin Fafowora, alleged that gunshots were fired as the rally was winding down, forcing participants to flee for safety.
However, the Imole Campaign Council, in its reaction, accused APC members of being responsible for the violence and alleged that properties belonging to members of the Accord Party were damaged during the incident.
The allegations have not been independently established, while the police investigation is ongoing.
There have also been claims involving the Chief Whip of the Osun State House of Assembly, Wale Akerele, although attempts to obtain his response were unsuccessful at the time of the report.
Providing an update on Sunday, police spokesperson Ojelabi confirmed that Adejoorin had been released.
“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,” he said.
The police have not indicated that Adejoorin has been charged with any offence, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the shooting are continuing.
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