metro

Crisis in Ondo over inquest into Akeredolu’s death

Published

11 months ago

August 2, 2025

Crisis in Ondo over inquest into Akeredolu’s death

It is close to two years that the immediate past Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, died in office. The former governor passed away in a German hospital, where he was reportedly receiving treatment for Leukaemia (cancer of the blood) and prostate cancer.

The two sicknesses had rendered the then governor of Ondo State, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), incapacitated for months and prevented him from completing the second term of his eight-years tenure.

But shortly before his death; his sickness had sparked a controversy between a member of his kitchen cabinet, Bunmi Ademosun, and his wife, Betty-Anyanwu Akeredolu.

Allegation of poisonous concoction

In January 2023, Mrs Akeredolu made public her husband’s ailment, which until then had been kept under wraps,, by crying out that the former governor was on sickbed and incapacitated after consuming a “poisonous concoction” allegedly provided by Ms Ademosun.

In a leaked video released on social media, the former first lady accused Ademosun, a former special adviser, to the late governor on Multilateral and Inter-Government Afffairs, of sneaking in to give her husband the local herbs on his sick bed.

Expressing worries over husband’s deteriorating condition, Mrs Akeredolu had warned the lady to ‘stay away from him, saying that her persistent closeness and unorthodox approach was worsening Akeredolu’s health condition.

“I warned Aketi (Akeredolu) from the beginning that this woman is evil. This woman is no good, and it’s happening. She had nothing good for you, and I warned him. This woman is bloody evil.

“But I’m warning her for the very last time to stay away from my husband. I want this woman to stay away from my husband. Stop sneaking in concoctions. We rely on the western style of medical care, and Aketi will get well,” she had said, accusing Mrs Ademosun of bringing in concoction in her scheming to become the deputy governor.

“What has triggered this very message was her recent meeting to become the deputy governor of the state. Look at you! What have you got upstairs to be the deputy governor of Ondo (state)?” Mrs Akeredolu queried, adding that, “if anything happens to Aketi, Lucky (Aiyedatiwa) takes over. It’s a constitutional thing, but not for you to be scheming.”

READ ALSO:

But Mrs Ademosun, who hailed from a royal family in Akure, was quick to respond via a statement issued by the family.

Reacting through a statement by the chairman, Elemo Adedipe Dynasty in Akure, Adedipe Olajide,, Mrs Ademosun condemned the outburst of the then first lady, saying she would be held responsible if anything happened to her.

The statement said: “The Elemo Adedipe Dynasty of Akure will hold Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu responsible and accountable should anything ontoward happen to our daughter and/or her assets (human and material).

“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house. It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman.

“Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness,,” (Proverbs 21:9,19 and 25:5, 24)

“We join the good people of Ondo State to pray for the speedy recovery of Arakunrin’s health so he can finish his term as Executive Governor with laudable legacies for posterity in Ondo State.”

Amid the tirade of the toxic concoction between his wife and his aide, Mr Akeredolu left his sickbed to confirm his battles with an ailment, although “not a life-threatening illness”, adding that he was recovering fast.

“Since the governor is not a superhuman and the immunity his office enjoys does not extend to physical wellness or otherwise, the health issue is therefore not an unusual one,” Mr Akeredolu said in a statement released by his spokesman, declaring that there was no cause for alarm even in the midst of his failing health.

In the midst of the raging controversy, the governor gave up the ghost on December 27, 2023, leaving a trail of emotions as darkness enveloped the state and tributes poured in from within and outside the state.

‘Akeredolu wouldn’t have died’

But three months later, Akeredolu’s widow set the social media on fire when she claimed that her husband would not have died of the complications if he had heeded her advice.

Explaining that she would not have become a widow, Mrs Akeredolu said if the former governor had chosen medical practice over spiritual practices, he would have still been alive.

READ ALSO:

“What came out of their mountain climbing, ‘blessed handkerchiefs, water, olive oil’, etc., from the GOs and all the noisy prayers like people possessed by demons?

“If Aketi had listened to me, I wouldn’t be a widow,” she said.

Shortly after firing that salvo, Mrs Akeredolu was dragged by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Omowunmi Isaac, who accused the first lady of being responsible for her husband’s death.

Omowunmi, a kinsman of Akeredolu also from Owo Kingdom, had in a WhatsApp conversation alleged that the late Akeredolu did not succumb to cancer as was widely believed, but was killed by his wife.

She had further alleged in the message that Mrs Akeredolu physically pushed her husband, leading to a fatal rush of blood to his brain.

Following the development, a group of civil society organisations had called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and launch an investigation into the claim, while asking Mrs Isaac to provide proof of her controversial claim and explosive allegation against Akeredolu’s widow.

“The claim has serious implications for the integrity of the Akeredolu family and the reputation of the late governor, whose death had already been surrounded by medical explanations,” the group said.

As the issues surrounding Akeredolu’s death raged, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa raised a fresh dust a fortnight ago with the controversial demolition of the memorial park built to immortalise the victims of the June 2, 2022 terror attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo.

The destruction of the cenotaph, constructed by the late Akeredolu, drew the ire of his widow, Betty-Anyanwu, who rebuked Govenor Aiyedatiwa and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, for demolishing her husband’s legacy without recourse to the victims of the violent attack, adding that the people of the ancient community had dismantled the progess they had made together.

With palpable emotion, she specifically came hard on Oba Ogunoye, describing the revered traditional ruler and Chairman, Council of Obas in Ondo State, as ‘Baby Oba’, saying her husband had singlehandedly installed him during his tenure as governor.

READ ALSO:

Her outburst attracted wide condemnation, especially from the natives of Owo and supporters of the Aiyedatiwa government, who accused the former first lady overberance and dominance despite the ‘controversial death’ of her husband in office.

In the ensuing reactions, leaders in the community and stakeholders in the state immediately cast aspersions on Mrs Akeredolu, demanding she revealed the real cause of her husband’s death and expressing doubts as to whether Akeredolu actually died of prostate cancer.

“With the heights of all these her attitude, It’s better we rally our community leaders in Owo to demand the real cause behind her husband’s death by launching a coroner’s inquest, because her attitude, which is uncultured, is giving room for suspicion over the death of a man loved by his people,” a native of the community, Adeoye Abiola, had said in a social media post.

Not long after Abiola’s post, the state government confirmed the recipient of a coroner’s inquest into the cause of the death of the late Akeredolu.

In a statement issued to journalists in Akure, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, SAN, claimed that the government has received many petitions and requests urging his office to launch an investigation into the ‘troubling inconsistencies’ surrounding Akeredolu’s death

Although Ajulo did not mention the names of the petitioners, a development that has attracted mixed reactions and feelings, he said some concerned groups have demanded coroner’s inquest into the demise of the deceased governor.

Ajulo said: “We have received petitions from groups both within and outside the state, including professional bodies and even from the late Governor’s hometown,.

“The petitioners urged the Attorney General to initiate an inquest to investigate the circumstances surrounding the former Governor’s death.

“They raised concerns based on previous and recent public statements as well as what they described as ‘unguarded and unhinged conduct’ of the former First Lady, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.

“In their petitions, she and others were explicitly named as persons of interest, with the petitioners claiming her actions cast doubt on the official narrative that the former Governor died from cancer-related complications.”

In the midst of the flurry of petitions, which has drawn counter-reactions, Ajulo claimed that the citizens have the right to request the invocation of the coroners law, stating that is only designed to address public concerns surrounding deaths considered unnatural or controversial.

READ ALSO:

According to him, under the law, any citizen or group who suspects foul play or has lingering questions about a person’s death has the legal right to demand a coroner’s inquest.

“Let me be clear: due process will be followed. The law is there to serve the people and ensure that truth and justice prevail.

“It is not out of place for citizens to demand its invocation when there are legitimate concerns.

“The Attorney General is duty-bound to act in accordance with the law once such concerns are raised by members of the public.” Ajulo said, maintaining that the law would be allowed to take its course without bias or sentiment.

Reiterating that there is a legal process for everything, the Ondo State Attorney General asked the people of the state to allow the law take its full course without prematurely casting aspersions on anyone.

With the move; residents, stakeholders, and critics of governor Aiyedatiwa-led government have expressed harsh reactions to the development, stating that the probe would open a fresh wound and heat up the polity in the state.

Many of them, who cautioned the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ajulo, against the move, also noted that the government is ‘treading on an inglorious path’ that could set the state on fire.

In his reaction, a resident of the state, Olugbenga Ajongbolo, said the action, if continued, could bring to an end the government of Aiyedatiwa even before the latter leaves office.

Ajongbolo also slammed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice for entertaining such coroner’s inquest at the expense of the grieving family of the deceased.

“How do you, in the first place, entertain petitions from some faceless groups to exhume the body of the late Governor ‘Rotimi Akeredolu and subject it to whatever nonsense coroner law you’re invoking?

“What is this for heavens’ sake! You only didn’t accept the petitions, you also published it for Ondo State people, Aketi’s family, and well wishers to read your ill conceived idea of being a 21st Century law keeper,” he said, asking that Aiyedatiwa calls Ajulo to order.

“He is on the path to ignominy, and like the Yoruba often remind people like him, the honour given to a man who kills an elephant with his cap ends at dusk.”

READ ALSO:

Querying the main purpose behind the probe, another resident, Mr Samad Orijeminiyi, said Ajulo should step down from his position as the Chief Law Officer of the state.

“That man (Ajulo) is a misfit in the office. He takes delight in ‘forcing’ issues everywhere! Every time! If they don’t tame him, he will bring down this government,.

“I am still trying to wrap my head around whether the Governor sanctioned his new resolve for a coroner inquest. I don’t know if he is at liberty to act unilaterally without consulting the governor,” he said.

Davjd Akingbade expressed shock at the endorsement of the exhumation of the late Akeredolu’s body.

“How can the AG in all fairness entertain such frivolous petition? That drama is not needed at all,” Akingbade said, advising that the move should be dropped without any hesitation.

Condemining the development, a social commentator in the state, Oluwasegunota Ajayi, said he had already evaluated the issues surrounding the probe but found it appalling.

He described anyone supporting the action as “those being paid to defend their duties”, adding: “For Dr. Ajulo, I hope he will, in no long time, reflect the resonance and the indelibility of his actions at this time.”

However, a former Minister of State for Transport, Ademola Adegoroye, acknowledged that the state government under Aiyedatiwa’s watch has a responsibility to receive and act on any petition.

Adegoroye, a lawyer, noted that those behind such petitions are not lovers of peace, describing them as mischievous and calling on governor Aiyedatiwa to jettison the move to avoid giving his administration a bad image.

Noting that the inquest is unnecessary, a social commentator and lawyer, Barrister Sola Ajisafe, said proceeding with such petitions is an attack on the memory of the late former governor.

Ajisafe also criticised Ajulo, accusing him of soiling his hands by citing the reasons why the coroner’s inquest was initiated for probe.

“It goes without saying that the Attorney General revealed his hand by citing the inglorious and despicable action of the wife of the late governor on the demolition of the cenotaph in Owo as the basis of his current actions without considering the bigger picture,” he said.

On his part, former Head of Service in the state, Mr Ajose Kudehinbu, asked Governor Aiyedatiwa to be mindful of posterity, saying those agitating for a coroner’s inquest into the death of his predecessor are against the current peace and stability under his watch in the atate.

“The executive power in the state resides only in one person: the governor. Nobody else, and he’s the one to give account at the end of the day, for the good times, for the bad times, to posterity!

“The executive power should neither be diluted nor shared for whatever reason.”

He added: “When I read the story about the plan to know how Aketi passed on, I knew this could not be true or could only have come from those who lacked regard for the peace and stability of the state in which the Governor is the highest stakeholder.

“As citizens or indigenes, we owe individual or collective responsibility to see our state on the path of progress.”

Crisis in Ondo over inquest into Akeredolu’s death

The Nation

metro

Abdulsalami Opens Up on Secret Detention of MKO Abiola

Published

1 hour ago

June 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Chief MKO Abiola

Abdulsalami Opens Up on Secret Detention of MKO Abiola

Nearly three decades after the death of Chief MKO Abiola, former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has revealed that neither he nor the late Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya, knew where the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election was being held during the regime of late military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha.

Abdulsalami made the disclosure in his autobiography, Call of Duty: An Autobiography of Gen. Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, launched in Abuja during events marking his 84th birthday.

According to the former Head of State, MKO Abiola’s detention was shrouded in secrecy, with the businessman and politician moved between different detention facilities throughout the four years he spent in custody.

“Before I became Head of State, I didn’t know where Abiola was being detained. Even General Diya, who was second-in-command to Abacha, had no idea where Abiola was being held. They kept moving him from one detention centre to another,” Abdulsalami wrote.

The revelation highlights the extent of secrecy within the Abacha administration and suggests that even senior members of the military government were excluded from critical decisions concerning Abiola’s detention.

Abiola, widely believed to have won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, was arrested in 1994 after declaring himself president following the annulment of the election by former military ruler Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The election, regarded by many observers as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, triggered a prolonged political crisis that led to nationwide protests and international condemnation after its annulment.

Following Babangida’s exit from power in August 1993, an Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan was established. However, the administration lasted only three months before it was overthrown by Abacha. Abiola remained in detention throughout Abacha’s rule until the military leader’s sudden death on June 8, 1998.

In the memoir, Abdulsalami disclosed that he quietly worked behind the scenes to secure Abiola’s freedom despite the political risks involved. He said that shortly after Abiola’s arrest, he initiated contacts with leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in search of a political solution to the crisis created by the annulled election.

“At this point, I need to recount that after Abiola was arrested in 1994, I had, against the grain, made efforts to get him released at the risk of being deemed disloyal by Abacha,” he stated.

According to Abdulsalami, these efforts remained largely unknown to the public because any perceived support for Abiola could have been interpreted as opposition to the Abacha regime.

The former military leader also revealed that Abiola’s family was denied access to him for most of his detention. He noted that only Abiola’s personal physician, Dr. Ore Falomo, was permitted to see him regularly, underscoring the restrictive conditions under which the politician was held.

“His family never saw him. It was only his personal physician, Dr Ore Falomo, who had access to him,” Abdulsalami recalled.

He said one of his first actions after becoming Head of State following Abacha’s death was to ensure that Abiola’s family could finally visit him. According to him, the decision was resisted by some members of his administration who opposed changing the policy surrounding Abiola’s detention.

“When I became Head of State, I insisted that his family must be granted access to him, despite strong opposition from some members of my government,” he said.

Abdulsalami used the memoir to challenge the perception that becoming Head of State immediately gave him complete control of government and military structures. He explained that powerful interests remained embedded within the system and that he had to carefully navigate competing factions while consolidating authority.

“What many people outside government did not know was that even though I was now in power, there were still different interests in the military and in government. I was new in the office and needed to consolidate my hold on the system. I needed to be careful and calculated with my actions,” he wrote.

He further stated that despite his access to Abacha during his years in office, he was never part of the inner circle responsible for the regime’s most sensitive political and security decisions.

“Despite my access to Abacha when he was in power, I was still effectively an outsider in his government. Becoming Head of State did not mean I could dissolve the power centres or displace entrenched interests overnight,” he added.

Abdulsalami revealed that arrangements had been made for members of Abiola’s family to meet him shortly before his anticipated release. According to him, one group of relatives met Abiola on July 6, 1998, while another group was scheduled to visit him the following day.

However, the second meeting never took place.

“One group saw him on the first day, July 6, 1998. The other group was to see him the next day, July 7. However, that second meeting never took place. That was not to be,” he wrote.

Abiola died on July 7, 1998, barely a month after Abacha’s death, shocking Nigerians and ending hopes that he would eventually assume the presidency many believed he had won.

Abdulsalami has also maintained that Abiola was not poisoned, citing findings from an international autopsy involving Nigerian, American, British and Canadian pathologists, which concluded that the politician died from natural causes linked to existing health conditions.

The latest revelations provide fresh insight into the internal workings of the Abacha regime and the circumstances surrounding one of the most significant episodes in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Abdulsalami Opens Up on Secret Detention of MKO Abiola

metro

MURIC Accuses Adeleke of Evading Key Issues, Demands Apology to Muslims Ahead of 2026 Poll

Published

6 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Trends Admin

MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Accuses Adeleke of Evading Key Issues, Demands Apology to Muslims Ahead of 2026 Poll

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, of avoiding critical issues raised by the Islamic advocacy group regarding alleged religious marginalization and what it described as the governor’s “double religious identity.”

In a statement issued on Monday by its Founder and Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, the organization said the Osun State Government’s recent response to its allegations failed to address some of the most contentious concerns it had raised.

MURIC had earlier accused Governor Adeleke of sidelining Muslims in political appointments and allegedly portraying himself as belonging to two different faiths. The group also raised concerns over alleged financial impropriety within the administration.

Responding to the state government’s rebuttal, MURIC argued that the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, failed to provide specific figures regarding the religious composition of the governor’s cabinet.

According to the group, its allegation that the governor appointed 17 Christian commissioners compared to seven Muslim commissioners remains unanswered.

“The crux of the matter is that the government has not disclosed the exact number of Muslim and Christian commissioners. If our figures are incorrect, the administration should publish its own figures,” the statement said.

MURIC challenged Governor Adeleke to make public the full list of commissioners, board chairmen and heads of parastatals in the state to allow Nigerians assess the balance of appointments.

The organization further claimed that the state government deliberately ignored its allegation concerning the governor’s religious identity.

According to MURIC, the failure of the government to respond to the allegation amounted to an admission by silence.

The group also rejected claims that its criticism of the governor was politically motivated or linked to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that it has no affiliation with any political party.

“We have no connection with APC or any political party. We support qualified Muslim candidates irrespective of their political platform,” the statement added.

MURIC maintained that three major allegations were raised against the governor — alleged lopsided political appointments, double religious identity and financial impropriety — but argued that only one of them received a response from the government.

The group warned that religion remains a sensitive issue among Muslims and alleged that many adherents across the country were displeased with what it described as the governor’s handling of religious matters.

It urged Governor Adeleke to apologize to Muslims whom it claimed had been offended by his actions and statements.

MURIC concluded by declaring that the debate over the issues would remain active ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election, insisting that the governor would continue to face public scrutiny over the allegations.

The Osun State Government had earlier dismissed MURIC’s claims as misinformation and defended the administration’s record on appointments and inclusiveness.

The controversy comes as political activities ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Osun State continue to gather momentum, with religious representation and governance emerging as key issues in public discourse.

MURIC Accuses Adeleke of Evading Key Issues, Demands Apology to Muslims Ahead of 2026 Poll

metro

Troops Neutralise 27 Terrorists, Rescue Hostages in Nationwide Operations

Published

7 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno

Troops Neutralise 27 Terrorists, Rescue Hostages in Nationwide Operations

The Nigerian Army has recorded major operational successes across various parts of the country, neutralising 27 terrorists, arresting 10 suspected criminals, rescuing eight kidnapped victims and recovering weapons, ammunition, stolen vehicles and other logistics in coordinated operations conducted within the last 48 hours.

The military disclosed that the operations, driven by credible intelligence and executed through joint land and air efforts, were carried out in Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa and Akwa Ibom states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the Army, the operations form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, combat kidnapping and weaken the operational capabilities of criminal elements threatening national security.

In the North-East, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted precision air strikes against terrorist enclaves in the Tumbuns area of Borno State. Battle damage assessments and intelligence reports confirmed that 27 insurgents were killed during the operations.

Military authorities said 12 terrorists were neutralised in an air strike on Dawoshe community in Kukawa Local Government Area, while another 15 were eliminated during a separate operation at Metele in Guzamala Local Government Area.

Ground troops operating in Borno State also arrested a suspected terrorist along the Mandara-Girau-Sabon Gari axis in Biu Local Government Area. Recovered from the suspect were food supplies, communication gadgets, blankets, herbicides and batteries believed to be intended for insurgent groups.

READ ALSO:

In a separate operation near Kareto, troops successfully foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued six civilians, comprising three men and three women, without any injuries.

In Plateau State, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE arrested a suspected kidnapper and cattle rustler during a raid in Bokkos Local Government Area. Items recovered from the suspect included ammunition, an AK-47 magazine, a laptop computer, a mobile phone and military-style clothing.

Security forces also apprehended four suspected criminals in Jos South Local Government Area. The suspects were reportedly found in possession of a locally fabricated pistol and ammunition.

In Nasarawa State, troops rescued two kidnapped victims after their captors fled upon sighting advancing security personnel. Subsequent operations, aided by intelligence obtained from an arrested suspect, led to the discovery of a criminal hideout.

Recovered items from the hideout included a locally fabricated pistol, live cartridges, communication devices, foreign and local currencies, as well as ₦1.8 million suspected to be proceeds of criminal activities.

Meanwhile, in the Federal Capital Territory, troops acting on actionable intelligence intercepted two suspected carjackers along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway and recovered a stolen Mercedes-Benz E350 vehicle.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had allegedly stolen the vehicle in Abuja and were attempting to transport it out of the city for sale.

In the South-South region, troops engaged in anti-crude oil theft operations recovered about 325 litres of suspected stolen Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) concealed in sacks in a bush within Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The recovered products have since been handed over to relevant authorities.

The Nigerian Army said the achievements underscore the effectiveness of intelligence-driven and joint military operations in degrading terrorist and criminal networks across the country.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of movement and ensuring the safety of citizens.

It also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, describing intelligence provided by citizens as a critical force multiplier in the ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and national security.