Ikire killings: Oyewumi denies involvement, calls for probe

The Senate Deputy Minority Leader and community leader in Ikire, Senator Lere Oyewumi, has condemned the killing of innocent residents at the Naira and Kobo Junction in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Friday, Oyewumi dismissed insinuations linking him to the killings and called for a thorough, independent investigation into the incident.

The senator took exception to what he described as a one-sided investigation conducted by the police, expressing surprise that eyewitnesses present at the palace were allegedly barred from giving their accounts before the probe concluded.

Oyewumi maintained that the circumstances surrounding the incident demand an impartial inquiry to uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.

He alleged that the police rushed to announce a verdict and claimed that suspects were coerced into making false confessions.

“There are so many unanswered questions and obvious loopholes. We are all aware that the Naira and Kobo garage was peaceful on the day of the incident.”

“What was the DPO doing at the Naira and Kobo garage? The storming of the park by the DPO coincided with threats by APC thugs to take over Osun motor parks. Was the DPO there to facilitate that takeover? Why did the DPO and his men open fire sporadically when the park was peaceful and devoid of confrontation?,” Oyewumi said.

Meanwhile, families of the victims, who gathered in Osogbo to voice their grievances, strongly condemned attempts to implicate Oyewumi in the incident.

The families stated that Oyewumi acted responsibly as a community leader by assisting the police in de-escalating tensions and preventing the unrest from spiraling into wider communal conflict.

“We find the attempt to drag Senator Lere Oyewumi into this matter deeply disturbing and unacceptable.”

“As a community leader, Senator Oyewumi actually assisted the police in calming a situation that could have degenerated into communal warfare. The police cannot and must not be allowed to evade accountability for the actions of their DPO and officers,” the families said.