12-Year-Old Boy Shot During APC Campaign Rally in Ilesa, Protests Erupt in Osun

12-Year-Old Boy Shot During APC Campaign Rally in Ilesa, Protests Erupt in Osun

The incident has triggered angry demonstrations, with residents demanding a transparent investigation into the alleged involvement of a state lawmaker and security personnel.

Tension has gripped Ilesa, Osun State, following the alleged shooting of a 12-year-old boy during an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally on Saturday, August 8, 2026. The incident has sparked protests in parts of the town, with residents taking to the streets to demand answers and accountability. According to eyewitness accounts, the boy was sitting inside his mother’s shop when gunshots rang out along the campaign route. Several APC supporters were also reportedly injured in the melee. The exact circumstances that led to the shooting remain unclear, and it has not been independently established who fired the shots. A photograph circulating online shows the 12-year-old lying on what appears to be a hospital bed, suggesting he has been receiving medical treatment.

In a development that has intensified public anger, eyewitnesses have alleged that the Chief Whip of the Osun State House of Assembly, Wale Akerele, was present at the scene alongside operatives of the Osun State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, when the shooting occurred. Some eyewitnesses have further alleged that the Amotekun operatives and the lawmaker directed gunfire at APC members, resulting in the injuries. These allegations have not been independently verified. “Scores of APC members also sustained injuries,” an eyewitness was quoted as saying. The number of people injured, including the condition of the 12-year-old boy, could not be independently confirmed as of press time.

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The shooting has triggered protests in parts of Ilesa, with residents demanding a transparent investigation into the incident, particularly regarding the reported involvement of a state lawmaker and security personnel. The reported targeting of a child has heightened public anger and raised serious questions about the conduct of political campaigns in the state. Efforts to obtain official reactions from the Osun State Police Command, the Amotekun Corps, and Wale Akerele were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. Authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine those responsible for the alleged shooting.

The incident is the latest in a wave of politically motivated violence that has claimed multiple lives and left dozens injured in the run-up to the August 15 governorship election. Political violence has escalated sharply across Osun State in recent weeks, with both the ruling Accord Party and the opposition APC trading accusations of orchestrating attacks. The Imole Campaign Council for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke has alleged that several members of the Accord Party and grassroots supporters of the governor have been killed, injured, or detained because of their political affiliation. The council recently proposed state honours for what it described as victims of electoral violence, naming Kolade Eluyera, Ezekiel Olapade, Ajayi Rogba, and Timilehin Oni among those allegedly killed. The APC, on the other hand, has accused Governor Adeleke’s allies of orchestrating the violence, dismissing allegations linking former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to the unrest as “false”. Prince Bayo Adeleke, Director-General of the Osun Central APC Governorship Campaign Council, alleged that members of the ruling camp, rather than the opposition, were responsible for the wave of attacks. He also cited the killing of the Chairman of Ilesa West Local Government, Remi Abbas, on February 17, 2025, as evidence of persistent attacks against APC members. With the election just days away, the tension in Osun State shows no sign of abating, and the latest shooting of a 12-year-old boy has further inflamed an already volatile situation. Security agencies are under pressure to conduct a transparent investigation and ensure the safety of lives and property during the campaign period and on election day.