Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered security agencies to arrest anyone linked to the killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, during a violent clash over motor-park control in Ile-Ife on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Adeleke also directed rival groups involved in the dispute to immediately leave the affected motor parks and announced plans to restore a Park Management System across Osun State through an executive order.
The governor’s response followed the death of Oyeyemi, a political associate of the governor, who was reportedly shot during a confrontation involving rival groups at a motor park in Ile-Ife. Reports said the violence was connected to a struggle over control of the park and later affected other parts of the city.
Adeleke directed the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Zungura, and other security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible while taking steps to prevent further violence.
The governor’s immediate response focused on restoring calm and preventing the dispute from escalating.
Adeleke instructed security authorities to pursue those involved in the killing and ensure that the perpetrators face the law. He also directed the competing groups at the centre of the dispute to vacate motor parks.
The measures announced by the governor include:
- Arrest and investigation of people connected to the killing.
- Removal of rival groups from affected motor parks.
- Restoration of security around motor parks and garages.
- Reintroduction of a state-controlled Park Management System.
- Continued monitoring by security agencies to prevent further clashes.
The directives come at a particularly sensitive time for Osun, where questions over political violence, public security and the administration of motor parks have remained contentious.
Adeleke called on residents to remain calm while security agencies work to restore normalcy.
A central element of Adeleke’s response is the planned return of a Park Management System for motor parks and garages across the state.
The governor said he would issue an executive order to establish the new framework, which is expected to regulate the administration and operation of motor parks.
The proposed system would represent a return to a more formal structure for managing transport parks after the state government previously moved against activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in July.
At the time, Adeleke ordered security agencies to stop NURTW activities in motor parks and arrest anyone violating the directive. The government said the measure was intended to end unauthorised levy collection and restore order in the parks.
The latest announcement suggests the government now intends to replace the disputed arrangements with a formal management structure.
If implemented through an executive order, the proposed Park Management System could determine how parks and garages are administered and how competing interests operate within them.
Its success, however, will depend on clear rules, effective enforcement and acceptance by transport workers and other stakeholders.
The immediate priority remains preventing further clashes while the circumstances surrounding Oyeyemi’s death are investigated.
The killing adds to a series of security incidents that have heightened concerns about violence in Osun in recent weeks.
In August, gunmen opened fire near the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo while Governor Adeleke was visiting the monarch. The incident reportedly involved an exchange of gunfire between the assailants and the governor’s security personnel.
Earlier in the same month, a 60-year-old resident, Tajudeen Yusuf, was shot dead in Osogbo following a confrontation that reportedly involved members of musician David Adeleke’s security team and suspected hoodlums. Police said they had begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.
The incidents have placed additional pressure on the state’s security authorities, particularly as Osun’s new Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, had recently pledged to strengthen security and rebuild public confidence in the police.
Zungura assumed office amid concerns about police-civilian relations and calls for more professional and impartial policing in the state.
Although the governor has ordered arrests, responsibility for Oyeyemi’s killing remains a matter for law-enforcement investigation.
Reports have linked the shooting to a conflict over control of a motor park, but investigators must establish the sequence of events, identify the individuals involved and determine whether criminal charges should follow.
This distinction is important because allegations surrounding the confrontation should not be treated as established facts until supported by evidence.
The police investigation is therefore expected to examine:
- The events leading to the confrontation.
- The identities of those who allegedly participated.
- The circumstances surrounding the shooting.
- Whether firearms were unlawfully used.
- Any wider organisation behind the violence.
- Possible links between the incident and existing disputes over park administration.
The outcome of the investigation will be central to determining whether the governor’s security directives lead to prosecutions.
The latest crisis highlights the challenge facing the Osun government as it seeks to establish a workable system for managing motor parks.
The state had already taken steps against NURTW activities, with the government saying in July that the ban was necessary to stop levy collection and restore order.
The proposed Park Management System now creates an opportunity for the government to establish a clearer framework for transport operations. But it also creates the need for transparency in how park leadership, revenue collection and enforcement responsibilities are assigned.
For the moment, the government must address two immediate concerns: bringing those responsible for Oyeyemi’s killing to justice and preventing retaliation.
The police investigation, combined with the planned park-management reforms, will determine whether the latest crisis becomes another episode of recurring violence or a turning point in how Osun regulates its motor parks.
Adeleke’s decision to move quickly reflects the seriousness of the incident, but the effectiveness of his response will ultimately be measured by whether authorities can establish accountability and maintain lasting peace across the affected communities.
