Odunayo Olagbaju

Odunayo Omobolanle Olagbaju was a Nigerian politician who was an Osun State legislator. He was stabbed to death in December 2001 right in front of a Police Station in Ile Ife, Nigeria. In May 2002, eleven suspects were arraigned for the killing. In August, seven additional suspects were arrested. By the end of 2002, the original eleven had been freed on bail, but the incident remained under investigation.[1]

The killing may have been related to a quarrel between governor Bisi Akande of Osun State and deputy governor Iyiola Omisore. Odunayo Olagbaju was a staunch supporter of Iyiola Omisore. The murder was followed a few days later by the killing of Bisi Akane's supporter, Bola Ige, the Justice Minister of Nigeria. After an emergency cabinet meeting, the Nigerian government deployed troops to prevent further violence.[2]

Odunayo Olagbaju was bludgeoned to death in broad day light in his Ile-ife home town, sparking riots in which at least five people were reported killed.[3] The dead included a local Alliance for Democracy (AD) chairman.[4] A spokesman for the Ife community, Prince Olakunle Aderemi, said that Olagbaju mentioned a commissioner in the Akande cabinet, a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the State House of Assembly as responsible for the attack before he died "at the doorstep of Nigeria Police, Moore, Ile-Ife".[5]

One of the suspects in the Bola Ige murder said Iyiola Omisore had become close to Olagbaju, and under-wrote a part of his campaign expenses. Sometime in 2001, Iyiola Omisore told Odunayo Olagbaju that he was crossing over to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), which would back him as candidate for the Osun State governorship. Odunayo Olagbaju and all of Omisore's supporters also crossed over.[6] In August 2003, Chief Joseph Obadare of the PDP said that Olagbaju alerted the police about threats to his life but the police refused to come to his rescue before his assassins struck.[7]

By the end of 2003, the killers had not yet been identified.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "2002 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria". US Department of State. March 31, 2003. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  2. ↑ "Emergency Declared in Nigeria After Killing of Justice Minister". New York Times. December 25, 2001. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  3. ↑ "Nigeria's Justice Minister Killed". CBS News. Dec 24, 2001. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  4. ↑ "Vol. 15, No. 9 (A) – April 2003" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  5. ↑ Razaq Yusuf & Hammed Bodunrin (2002-01-16). "Ige: Ooni's Hands Are Clean - Ife Community". This Day. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  6. ↑ Godwin Ifijeh; Chistian Ita; Hammed Bodunrin; Chuks Akunna (2002-01-15). "Suspect: Omisore Plotted Ige's Murder". This Day. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  7. ↑ Sina Babasola (August 27, 2003). "PDP alleges plot to kill Omisore". Vanguard. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  8. ↑ Sina Babasola (December 12, 2003). "Oyo House Majority Leader raises alarm over assassination plans". Vanguard. Retrieved 2009-11-07.


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