The Osun State Police Command has recovered a second corpse from the Mayfair Motor Park in Ile-Ife, raising the death toll from Sunday’s shooting to two as authorities intensify investigations into the violence.

The police said the motor park had been shut following the incident, while the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

The development came as the remains of Olalekan Oyeyemi, a chieftain of the Accord Party in Osun State popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, were buried at his newly completed residence in the Agunbelewo area of Osogbo.

Oyeyemi was reportedly shot dead on Sunday during a confrontation at the Mayfair Motor Park involving him and a group led by another leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, identified as Sibi.

A video circulating on social media showed Oyeyemi lying face down inside a vehicle after the shooting.

Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently confirmed his death and directed the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, to identify and arrest those responsible.

Police launch investigation

The police spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said on Monday that another body had been recovered from the park and deposited at a morgue.

According to him, the police had commenced a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

He urged people linked to the incident to report themselves to the police rather than use social media to make statements about their involvement.

Ojelabi said the Commissioner of Police had directed that everyone found to have played a role in the violence would be apprehended and prosecuted, regardless of their status.

The closure of the motor park is expected to remain in place as the authorities work to prevent further violence and restore order.

NURTW leadership dispute under scrutiny

The killing has been linked to an internal dispute within the transport union, with reports that some NURTW members had been seeking to install Oyeyemi as the next chairman of the union in Osun State.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged leadership move have, however, become contested.

Two NURTW leaders in Ile-Ife, identified as Gbadagesin and Kazeem Akeem, alleged in videos circulating online that the state Commissioner for Transportation, Sesan Oyedele, had summoned union leaders to his residence in Modakeke and informed them that the state government had endorsed Oyeyemi as the next chairman.

Oyedele denied the allegation.

Commissioner denies endorsing Emir

The commissioner said the account circulating online did not accurately reflect the meeting he had with the transport union members.

Oyedele explained that the union leaders had contacted him after a meeting involving members from different branches and requested to see him.

Although he initially asked them to come to his office on Monday, he said they chose to visit his residence on Sunday morning.

According to Oyedele, the union members told him that they had reached an agreement to support Oyeyemi for the chairmanship and wanted him to back their position.

He said he told them he would present their position to the governor, the Chief of Staff and other relevant officials when the governor returned to the state.

Oyedele said the meeting ended peacefully and that he received news of Oyeyemi’s killing about two hours after the union members left his residence.

Police presence increased after hospital incident

Oyeyemi’s remains were released from the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, before the traditional burial rites were conducted at his residence.

The rites were witnessed by close family members and traditional priests, while associates who accompanied the remains were reportedly kept outside during the proceedings.

Tension was also reported at the hospital after suspected associates of the deceased allegedly attacked two hospital workers who were accused of recording events with their mobile phones.

Additional police vehicles later arrived at the hospital, helping to restore calm.

Authorities appeal for calm

Oyedele appealed to residents to remain calm, saying efforts were underway to resolve the dispute and prevent further escalation.

The latest violence has again highlighted the potential security risks associated with disputes over leadership and control within transport unions, particularly where political interests and commercial transport networks intersect.

For the Osun government and security agencies, the immediate challenge is to establish the circumstances that led to the shooting, identify those responsible and prevent retaliatory violence.

The police investigation is expected to determine whether the killing was solely connected to the reported NURTW leadership dispute or involved wider political or criminal interests.

Authorities have urged residents to avoid spreading unverified claims on social media while the investigation continues.