FLASHBACK: How Oyetola’s Loyalists Lied, Misled Public About Release Of Slain Osun APC Chieftain

Barely days before the tragic confirmation of the death of the National Director of Administration of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Rauf Adekunle Adeniji (popularly known as Congo), some loyalists of the immediate past governor of Osun State and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, had taken to social media to jubilate over what has now been exposed as a misleading claim that the purported release of the late APC chieftain from the den of kidnappers.

DTRUTH INSIGHTS can authoritatively report that these claims, are now proven to be false.

In the heat of rising public pressure on the APC leadership over the deafening silence surrounding the abduction of Dr. Adeniji, former top aides to Governor Oyetola who were reportedly not directly involved in the negotiation or the rescue mission hurriedly took to social media to announce a ‘release’ that never happened.

Former Commissioner
Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, who served as Commissioner for Works and Transport under the Oyetola administration, was among the first to declare the ‘rescue’.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Omowaiye wrote: “We thank God! Thank you H.E Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, Thank you H.E Gboyega Oyetola, Thank you Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. He has been rescued.”

Omowaiye, who failed to mention any name in the post, created the impression that Dr. Adeniji had been freed through high-level intervention, a claim that has now turned out to be completely misleading.

Also, Jamiu Babatunde Olawumi, a former Special Adviser under the same administration, also added to the confusion.

In a jubilant Facebook post, he declared: “Welcome back Kongo.”

His statement further fuelled false hope among supporters, family members and well-wishers of the deceased, many of whom were still praying for a safe return.

Another top loyalist of Oyetola, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji, who served as Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs and Social Mobilisation, also joined the chorus.

He wrote: “Olohun ti so ibanuje di erin. Alhamdulillah.” (Translation: “God has turned sorrow to laughter.”).

The post, like the others, failed to capture the gravity of the situation and has since attracted public backlash for trivialising a matter of life and death.

They Were Not Part of Rescue Team

Findings revealed that none of the aforementioned individuals was part of the group that negotiated or facilitated the partial release of the abducted victims.

Sources confirmed that these loyalists had no firsthand information and only acted on hearsay.

When the actual release took place, the absence of Dr. Adeniji among the freed victims shocked many. It was later confirmed that he had died in captivity—just two hours after witnessing the gruesome murder of Mrs. Adesiyan, wife of Prince Akinropo Adesiyan, who was kidnapped alongside him.

The misleading celebration by the Oyetola camp has been widely condemned as politically motivated and grossly irresponsible.