Politics
Lawmaker Meets Stakeholders Over Ibadan Killings
Mr Ayotunde Fatokun, the lawmaker representing Akinyele Constituency 1 in the Oyo State House of Assembly, yesterday met with community leaders, the police and local security outfits in the constituency over recent killings by unknown assailants in the area.
Recall that some suspected ritual killers had, in the last one month, killed six people in Akinyele Local Government Area at three different locations.
The killings, which had caused apprehension among residents, occurred at Abatakan, Fatokun and Olomowewe and Akingbile communities, all within the council area.
It was gathered that the incidents followed the same pattern as the assailants used cutlasses to massacre their victims and stones to smash their heads after which they wiped their blood with handkerchiefs before leaving the scenes.
Following these heinous crimes, the lawmaker said he had held series of meetings with heads of security agencies in the state on how to put a stop to the activities of the assailants.
Fatokun said that the town hall meeting was to deliberate on how to address insecurity in the constituency, adding that it was also an avenue for him to hear from his constituents about their expectations from him.
He said that the consensus reached was that a joint task force that would include local security operatives should be formed to tackle the insecurity in the council area.
Mr Okey Nwabufo, the Police Area Commander for Akinyele Local Government area, assured residents of adequate protection of their lives and property, saying that the police had intensified its security network in the area.
Nwabufo urged the people to assist the police with useful information that could assist in their efforts to nab the criminals.
He said that any information given would be treated with confidence, even as he enjoined the people to be more security conscious.
The traditional ruler of Iroko community, Oba Olasunkanmi Abioye, cautioned landlords in the area against accommodating unknown tenants.
He assured the residents that traditional rulers in the area would work closely with security agents to address the security challenges confronting the area.
The monarch warned the people of the constituency against bringing their individual domestic problems before the lawmaker representing them for solution.
He said what should be paramount in their minds should be how the lawmaker would bring development to the constituency for the benefit of all and sundry.
Mr Ajebode Isiaka, the representative of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the local government area, urged the people to cooperate with security operatives to enhance their efforts at flushing out criminals in the area.
Isiaka also called on the lawmaker who initiated the meeting to continue working on how his constituency would be more secure.
The meeting had in attendance community leaders, representatives of various wards, the police, heads of local security outfits such as the vigilantes, the ‘Agbekoyas’, hunters and Odua People’s Congress (OPC).
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
