Tension in Ede as Residents Accuse Police of Brutalising Citizens During Disputed Construction Activity

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Tension in Ede as Residents Accuse Police of Brutalising Citizens During Disputed Construction Activity

By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo

Tension gripped parts of Ede in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State following allegations that police officers attached to the ‘A’ Division in the town brutalised residents during a confrontation over activities at a disputed construction site.

Residents alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the division, SP Bamidele Ezekiel, arrived at the site opposite Admus Filling Station along the Total Oke-Gada road with several armed officers while a political figure identified as Adeyemi Olusesan Eliot, described by some residents as the “Yes/No” chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ede North, was reportedly attempting to flag off the construction of an ultra-modern complex.

Sources in the area said the land had earlier been earmarked for a project initiated by the duly elected chairman of Ede North Local Government, Hon. Taiwo Amodu, on February 22, 2025, before the suspension of local government allocations across Osun State.

According to residents, blocks had already been delivered to the site for the earlier project.An eyewitness who spoke with journalists alleged that the situation escalated after youths and other community members gathered at the location to protest what they described as an attempt to take over the land.

“The people only came out to protect what they believe belongs to the community, but the police suddenly started firing gunshots and tear gas to disperse the crowd,” the source claimed.

Another resident alleged that some officers also recorded protesters with mobile devices while threatening them with arrest.According to another source in the community, the controversy surrounding the land deepened amid claims that a portion of the land had been sold to Kafayat Oyetola, wife of the former governor of Osun State, by Eliot.

The claim could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.There were also claims that the activities at the site followed a visit to the palace of the Timi of Ede, Oba Dr. Munirudeen Adesola Lawal (Laminisa I), though accounts differed on whether the palace authorised the development.

Community members who spoke on the incident called on the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Rilwan Disu, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 11, and the Osun State Commissioner of Police to investigate the conduct of the officers involved.

One of the residents said, “We are appealing to the police authorities to call the DPO to order and ensure that the rights of ordinary citizens are protected.”As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Police Command had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Attempts to reach the DPO for comments were also unsuccessful.The development has heightened tension in the area, with residents urging authorities to intervene quickly to prevent further unrest.