Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has issued an executive order establishing a Coroner Inquest and Panel of Inquiry into the killings, shootings, injuries and violence reported in Ikire on August 24, 2026.
The inquiry will investigate the violence that occurred at Naira and Kobo Junction and the Motor Park/Garage Area in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area.
The executive order takes effect on August 31, 2026, and mandates the panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine the identities and number of victims, establish the immediate and remote causes of the violence and examine possible criminal responsibility for the deaths.
Magistrate Ayokunle Shiyanbola was appointed Chairman of the Coroner Inquest and Panel, while Mr. Abiodun Badiora will serve as Secretary.
Other members include retired AIG Aderanti Kayode; Mr. Dele Akintayo, representing the Nigerian Bar Association; Wale Balogun, representing civil society organisations; a community representative from Ikire; and Babatunde Afolabi as the medical and forensic representative.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the panel has been given wide-ranging powers to investigate the incident and identify those responsible.
“The panel is mandated to determine the circumstances leading to the shootings and killings, examine the role of security operatives, establish whether live ammunition or other weapons were used and whether their use complied with the law, rules of engagement and human rights standards.
“It is also empowered to identify any individual, group, security personnel, political actor, transport union member, public official or other person whose action or omission may have contributed to the incident,” the statement partly read.
The panel may recommend prosecution, disciplinary measures, compensation for victims and institutional reforms aimed at preventing a recurrence.
It also has the power to summon witnesses, demand relevant police and medical records, inspect the scene of the incident and other relevant locations, receive oral and documentary evidence and recommend protective measures for witnesses and persons facing intimidation or retaliation.
Adeleke Orders Preservation of Evidence
The governor also directed the preservation of firearms, ammunition records, station diaries, communication logs, incident reports, duty rosters, medical records, autopsy reports, photographs, videos and other materials considered relevant to the inquiry.
“The executive order further calls for appropriate measures to protect witnesses and victims’ families, obtain medical and forensic documentation, and maintain peace in Ikire pending the conclusion of the inquiry.
“The Inspector-General of Police, Police Service Commission and Osun State Commissioner of Police are formally requested to take appropriate interim administrative steps concerning any police officer whose continued operational command may prejudice the inquiry or affect public confidence,” the statement read.
The panel is expected to begin sitting within seven days of its inauguration and submit its final report to the Osun State Government within 30 days of its first sitting, subject to any extension approved by the governor.
The state government has invited families of victims, eyewitnesses, journalists, transport workers, police officers, medical personnel, civil society organisations, political parties, community leaders and human rights activists to submit memoranda and evidence to the panel.
Adeleke assured residents of Ikire, families of those killed and injured and the wider public that the incident would be investigated thoroughly, fairly and transparently.
The executive order also states that no person found culpable will be protected from justice because of their status, public office, political connections or institutional affiliation.
However, it stressed that all allegations remain allegations until they are established by credible evidence before the Coroner Inquest and Panel of Inquiry.
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