The crisis rocking Osun State over the leadership of local governments escalated yesterday as several people were killed following attempts by the sacked All Progressives Congress’s council chairmen to resume at their respective secretariats.

A chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC) and former chairman of Irewole Local Government Area of the state, Remi Abbas, was among those killed during the crisis.

The APC claimed that the Court of Appeal’s judgement delivered on Monday reinstated the sacked council chairmen and councilors elected during the tenure of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola; while the state government alleged their elections had been nullified by the Federal High Court in Osogbo in another case.

Governor Ademola Adeleke had, at the weekend, alleged that Oyetola, who is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, was planning to cause mayhem in the state ahead of the February 22 local council election in the state.

The state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had on Sunday asked its members at local governments to withdraw their services.

The sacked chairmen attempted to resume at their secretariats but were resisted by members of the PDP.

There were pockets of violence around Osogbo, Boripe, Irewole and Ola-Oluwa LGAs and others.