How Sahara Reporters Is Twisting the Murder Story of APC Leader Remi Abass
By Adebayo Adedeji
The brutal murder of Hon. Remi Abass, a former chairman of Irewole Local Government in Osun State, shocked everyone. He wasn’t just a politician — he was a respected community leader in Ikire, and his death in February 2025 sent waves across Nigeria.
Abass had just returned to office after a Court of Appeal ruling reinstated him. On February 17th, while reporting for duty at the local government secretariat, he was attacked and killed — allegedly by thugs linked to the PDP.
On that same day, a video surfaced showing Jide Jooda, a PDP chieftain and chairmanship candidate in the canceled 2025 local government elections, at the secretariat with suspicious-looking men. Not long after, Abass was dead.
Following his death, the police launched an investigation and arrested several suspects, including Jide Jooda and Ademola Adelugbin Apomu. But then Sahara Reporters published a story that seemed to water down the murder case. They claimed Apomu died in custody over election-related issues — conveniently leaving out the fact that he was facing serious criminal charges, including murder, terrorism, and illegal arms possession.
Why would Sahara Reporters leave out such crucial facts? Are they trying to shield some political figures? Or are they playing a game bigger than journalism — one that involves covering tracks rather than exposing truth?
The truth is clear in the court documents. One of the charges reads:
“…on or about February 17, 2025… you and others still at large did kill Remi Abass… knowing death was a likely result. This is a crime under Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code.”
Yet, Sahara Reporters spun the story to look like it was all political harassment, dragging even the name of former governor and current minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, into the mud — a man who has nothing to do with this crime.
This raises serious questions:
Why is Sahara Reporters distorting the facts?
Who benefits from this kind of reporting?
And why hide the criminal charges Apomu was facing?
The circumstances around Apomu’s reported death in custody are still unclear. Was it a natural death — or was he silenced to protect some powerful people? Whatever the case, the murder of Remi Abass must not be buried like other unresolved killings.
Let’s not forget Saheed Oyegunju — another APC member from Ikire — who was kidnapped and murdered in 2023 on his way to a campaign rally. His case started strong but faded away. The suspects in his murder? Also tied to political thuggery.
We can’t allow history to repeat itself.
Sahara Reporters should be helping to expose the truth — not spinning stories to protect suspects or distract the public. The public deserves justice, and the police must be supported in bringing all those responsible for Abass’ death to justice.
Nigeria can’t afford to keep burying the truth with the dead.
