Osun election attack in Ilesa leaves two APC members reportedly dead and two critically injured as tension rises ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council in Osun State, through its media head, Oluremi Omowaiye, has reported that two APC members were killed and two others critically injured in a shooting at Igbogi, Ilesa, Osun State, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, three days before the state’s governorship election.
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The reported attack occurred as APC supporters gathered ahead of a final campaign rally in the Igbogi area, where witnesses said suspected political thugs opened fire shortly before the scheduled start of the event.
The incident has further heightened an already tense political atmosphere in Ilesa, a key area of Osun’s governorship contest between the APC and Accord Party.
A resident identified as Sola said supporters had been instructed to gather at Igbogi by 8:00 a.m., but the shooting began at about 7:30 a.m.
“We were preparing for our final rally today. Our leaders asked us to converge at Igbogi by 8 am. But at about 7:30 am, the thugs invaded and started shooting sporadically,” Sola said.
Sola said four people were hit during the shooting.
Omowaiye, the APC campaign council’s head of media and publicity, subsequently confirmed that four APC supporters had been shot, with two dying from their injuries and two others left in critical condition.
“Four of our supporters were shot. Two have died, while two others are in critical condition,” Omowaiye said.
The APC campaign council also said the party’s woman leader in Ilesa was among those wounded and had been admitted to Wesley Guild Hospital.
The reported deaths add to a disturbing series of violence allegations surrounding the Osun election campaign, particularly in Ilesa and other parts of Ijesaland.
Earlier incidents have included shootings, alleged kidnappings and attacks involving supporters of rival political parties.
In June, an APC member, Taofeek Mustapha, was reportedly shot in Osogbo after allegedly being targeted because he was wearing a cap associated with APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji’s campaign. The police confirmed that incident and said an investigation had begun.
There have also been competing allegations from the Accord Party. In June, the party reported that two of its members had allegedly been abducted in Ilesa, while videos circulated showing one of the incidents.
Police later said the men were in custody and assisting with investigations, adding that further findings had complicated the initial account of the incident.
The pattern of accusations has made it increasingly difficult to separate established facts from claims made by rival political camps.
The police have previously warned both APC and Accord against inflammatory statements and attempts to distort facts for political advantage, saying such conduct could undermine public confidence and threaten peace.
The latest Ilesa shooting has also revived scrutiny of Senator Francis Fadahunsi, the APC lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District.
Fadahunsi was among APC leaders who had addressed supporters during protests over alleged attacks on party members.
A video from one of those engagements subsequently circulated widely, with the senator heard making a remark interpreted as a call to attack Accord Party members.
The senator later denied advocating physical violence. Through his media office, Fadahunsi said his reference to “kill Accord” was political language intended to mean defeating the party with votes.
“I meant kill Accord with your votes,” his media office said, adding that Fadahunsi had not advocated violence or intimidation against members of any political party.
The controversy prompted the Osun State Police Command to summon Fadahunsi for questioning over the remarks, adding another layer to the security concerns surrounding Saturday’s election.
Meanwhile, the police have said investigations into the latest Ilesa attack are continuing.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that the command was aware of the incident and that further details would be released as the investigation progressed.
The police confirmation is significant because the reported death toll and circumstances of the attack remain based largely on accounts from witnesses and the APC campaign council.
The identities of the deceased and those responsible for the shooting have not been independently established in the available reports.
The reported attack also follows earlier evidence of political violence in Osun during the current election cycle.
In July, two APC members were feared killed and six others injured when suspected hoodlums attacked a party mobilisation meeting in the Owode-Igbona area of Osogbo.
Police arrested two suspects in connection with that incident and recovered ammunition, according to The Nation.
Political tensions have been particularly pronounced between the APC and Accord, with both camps repeatedly accusing supporters of the opposing side of attacks and intimidation.
The wider contest has significant political stakes. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking another term on the Accord platform, while APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji is challenging him in the August 15 poll.
Ilesa is also politically important to the APC campaign.
Historical election results show closely fought contests between APC and PDP in Ilesa East and Ilesa West, underscoring the area’s significance in statewide electoral calculations.
With campaigning entering its final days, the latest Osun election attack has intensified concerns about whether political rivalry could spill into further violence before voters head to polling stations.
The immediate responsibility now rests with security agencies to establish what happened at Igbogi, identify those responsible and determine whether the shooting was politically motivated.
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For residents and voters, the priority is more fundamental: ensuring that political differences do not cost more lives before Osun has the opportunity to decide its next governor through the ballot.
