Crisis In Owo: Suspended LG Chairman Beaten, Stripped By Suspected Thugs

Suspected thugs on Monday attacked Tope Omolayo, chairman of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, and stripped him naked at the council secretariat shortly after he resumed office following a six-month suspension.

The incident, which occurred in Owo town, threw the secretariat into chaos as gunshots reportedly fired into the air forced workers and residents to flee for safety.

Omolayo had been suspended by the local government legislative assembly over allegations that he insulted the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, in a viral audio recording.

The recording had sparked outrage across the kingdom, prompting the chairman to issue a public apology in which he admitted wrongdoing and expressed remorse.

However, the apology was rejected by the Olowo-in-Council, which subsequently declared him persona non grata in November 2025.

Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted immediately Omolayo arrived at the secretariat, where a group of suspected hoodlums allegedly confronted him.

“The moment he stepped in, there was confusion everywhere. Suddenly, some boys came in, attacked him and stripped him.

People started running when gunshots were fired,” a source at the secretariat said.

Omolayo, who survived the attack, reportedly identified some of his assailants as individuals allegedly loyal to the palace, naming one Kunle

Odide and others known by aliases including Eko, Gentle, Festus, Akeem, Goldberg and Lastangle.

Reacting to the incident, the Ondo State Police Command confirmed that security personnel were immediately deployed to restore order.

The command’s spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, ordered a swift response upon receiving reports of the attack.

According to the police, calm has since been restored in the area, while investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

Residents have been urged to remain law-abiding and go about their normal activities without fear, as authorities intensify efforts to prevent a recurrence of the violence.