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Ex-govs Akande, Ladoja Differ Over Bola Ige’s Death

Published

9 months ago

February 3, 2025

Former governors of Osun and Oyo states have differed over the death of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.

Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001, at his Ibadan, Oyo State residence.

Speaking in an interview with ace broadcaster Edmund Obilo, Akande lamented that key figures who might have shed more light on the case, including former Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina, had died.

He said, “There are many things that die with people. I know Lam Adesina went to court over the matter, and I also know his successor, (Rashidi) Ladoja, withdrew the case. Ask Ladoja; he would know more about Bola Ige’s death.

“I was the Chief Security Officer of Osun State at the time, not Oyo State. Lam Adesina was the Chief Security Officer of Oyo State, and he went to court, and the governor who took over from him, Ladoja, withdrew the case from court. He might be able to tell you more. I believe he has more information on Bola Ige’s death.”

Akande also expressed regret that Adesina had confided in him about certain details he could no longer disclose.

“Because there are many things you don’t want to tell the public. I don’t want to tell anybody. Now Bola Ige is dead, and Lam Adesina too is dead, so who will be my witness? Nobody,” he said.

“I know Lam Adesina went to court on the matter, and Ladoja withdrew the case from court. Ask Ladoja; he would know more about Bola Ige’s death.”

Despite being a chieftain of the opposition Alliance for Democracy (AD), former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who led a PDP-led government, appointed Bola Ige as Minister of Mines and Power (1999–2000).

However, after failing to significantly improve the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), he was reassigned as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (2000–2001).

Akande claimed that Bola Ige regretted joining Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, calling it a “kiss of death,” but maintained that the decision was a collective one made by Afenifere and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), adding that Obasanjo had sought to form a Government of National Unity and consulted Ige to be part of it.

He said, “I wouldn’t say it’s a mistake. We supported him in joining the government, I mean the Afenifere and the Alliance for Democracy.

“We met under the leadership of (Ayo) Fasanmi in AD. We met under the leadership of Abraham Adesanya in Afenifere, and we asked Bola Ige to join the government. Abraham Adesanya asked that we discuss the matter in the AD, and we met under Fasanmi, the chairman of AD in the South-West, and by acclamation, we asked Bola Ige to join the government.

“We supported him in joining the government. We met under the leadership of Ayo Fasanmi in AD and Abraham Adesanya in Afenifere, and we asked Bola Ige to join. It was a unanimous decision.”

“Obasanjo met Bola Ige and asked him to join his government. Ige asked Obasanjo to tell his party. Before Obasanjo would inform the party, Ige himself had told the party and we debated it and asked him to go and join.

“If anything so happens, we are all responsible. It was a joint decision. We held a meeting at Ijebu-Igbo, and we were unanimous, asking him to go. We held another meeting at AD and by acclamation, we asked him to go and join.

“So if asking Bola Ige to join Obasanjo was a mistake, it’s a mistake of the Yoruba AD and Afenifere.”

Akande recounted a conversation he had with Bola Ige when Ige considered resigning from Obasanjo’s administration, warning him against the decision.

“One evening, he just called me and said, ‘I’m going to resign from this government.’ I said, ‘Please, sir, I will come back to you.’. I called his friend, Oluwole Rotimi. He asked me to advise him (Ige) not to resign because if he does, he’s likely going to die,” Akande said.

“I called Uncle (Ige) back and begged him not to resign. He said he had talked to Wole Soyinka and Bola Tinubu, and both of them had asked him to resign. I asked him not to resign. I then said, ‘You can go to Obasanjo, tell him what you are angry about, and tell him that if he doesn’t want you again, this is your letter.’

“He actually did so. Obasanjo asked what he wanted him to do, and they both agreed. When he was leaving, Obasanjo said, ‘Don’t give that letter to the press; give it to me,’ and he dropped the letter. Ige told me himself. It was later after that he was moved to the Ministry of Justice.

Akande emphasized that Bola Ige’s murder was politically motivated and accused the Obasanjo administration of showing little interest in bringing Ige’s killers to justice.

“He was killed in anticipation of what he might become in the future. It was a state murder. The government killed him. The government can kill anybody.

“Obasanjo wasn’t keen on investigating who killed Bola Ige but was interested in the stability of himself in power and possible continuance.”

But the ex-governor denied Akande’s allegation, saying old age has probably affected the memory of the former Osun Governor to remember what happened during the period.

Ladoja wondered why Akande, who said he knew many things about the assassination that he would not disclose, did not tell the public what exactly surrounded the killing of the former AGF on December 23, 2001.

Ladoja, next in the hierarchy to the Olubadan of Ibadan, said this when speaking with reporters in his Bodija residence in Ibadan.

News

ALGON Orders Edo Council Officials To Wear Tinubu’s signature Caps

Published

3 hours ago

October 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Sunny Ekpetika Ekpeson, has ordered all 18 local government chairmen in the state to ensure their officials wear caps branded with President Bola Tinubu’s insignia during official meetings.

A statement released by his media aide, Agbukor Apeakhuye, said the instruction applies to supervisory councillors, senior special assistants (SSAs), and special assistants (SAs).

According to the statement, the move was meant to “visibly demonstrate grassroots solidarity with President Tinubu’s administration and political vision in Edo State.”

Apeakhuye said the decision followed Governor Monday Okpehbolo’s recent call for political alignment across the state.

He noted that displaying political symbols at the local level is a way to strengthen support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

“The pledged 3.5 million votes for President Tinubu from Edo State must not remain a mere aspiration,” Ekpeson said.

“We must begin to build that momentum from the grassroots now, and this includes symbolic acts that reflect our political commitment.”

He urged all local government leaders to take the directive seriously, saying a unified show of support would send a strong political message.

News

Ebonyi Auto Crash Kills Six, Injures 14

Published

3 hours ago

October 18, 2025

Editor

Six persons have been confirmed dead, while 14 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a ghastly motor accident that occurred along the Nkalagu axis of the Abakaliki–Enugu Expressway on Saturday morning.

The tragic incident happened near the Nkalagu Flyover Bridge at about 9:30 am, throwing the busy highway into confusion as emergency responders raced to the scene.

Confirming the accident, the State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Henry Igwe, revealed that 22 people were involved in the crash. He attributed the accident to dangerous overtaking involving a commercial Toyota bus and a truck.

Igwe explained that some of the injured victims were immediately evacuated to a hospital in Enugu by FRSC personnel and Red Cross officials, while others were taken to the General Hospital, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State, for urgent medical treatment.

The FRSC official also urged motorists to exercise caution and avoid dangerous driving, especially during peak travel periods, to prevent further loss of lives on the highways.

News

Brigadier-General, Other Officers Detained Over Alleged Coup Plot To Overthrow President Tinubu

Published

10 hours ago

October 18, 2025

Editor

At least sixteen senior military officers have been detained by the Armed Forces of Nigeria for allegedly planning a coup d’etat to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, top sources have told SaharaReporters.

A coup d’état is an overt attempt by a military organisation or other government elites to unseat an incumbent person or leadership.

While the Nigerian military in a statement few days ago claimed the detention of the officers was linked to “repeated failure in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation”, top sources revealed that they were actually arrested over a coup plot.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations,” the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau had said in an ambiguous statement.

“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.

“Some of the apprehended officers had been under jurisdiction for various offences, either awaiting or undergoing trial. Their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service.”

However, a senior official of the Defence Intelligence Agency involved in the arrest told SaharaReporters that the officers led by an Army Brigadier General were planning to stage a coup and take over government from “selfish politicians”.

He said the coup attempt was thwarted after an intelligence gathering by the DIA and sister agencies.

“The 16 officers were planning a coup. The military authorities were just being diplomatic in the statement released by the spokesperson. They have started doing secret meetings on how to overthrow the President and other top government officials,” the source told SaharaReporters.

“They’re all officers within the rank of Captain to Brigadier-General and are still in detention at DIA as we talk. They were picked recently at their various houses around the country. Their main objective was to overthrow President Tinubu and announce a military government.”

Another source added that the October 1 Independence Day parade was cancelled because of the coup attempt.

He said, “Yes, they were arrested for planning to stage a coup and take over government. That was the main reason why the Independence Day parade scheduled to hold on Wednesday, October 1 as part of activities marking the country’s 65th Independence Anniversary was cancelled.

“This was because intelligence reports showed they planned the coup on October 1st during a military parade. So the National Security Adviser and other service chiefs asked the Tinubu-led government to cancel the parade earlier scheduled to mark the day.

“Their plan was to shoot at the President and other top politicians during the event. The move by the military authorities announcing their arrests was to douse tension.”

Since Nigeria became independent in 1960, there have been five successful military coups.

Recently, there have been allegations of corruption in the military which some of the officers and soldiers have blamed for their loss of interest in the country’s military.