Tension in Ijebu-Ode as armed police lay siege to Daniel’s home

Armed police operatives on Wednesday barricaded the Ijebu-Ode residence of former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, disrupting a planned political gathering by his supporters.

The incident, which occurred in the Obanta Club area within the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Ijebu-Ode, created tension across the town as heavily armed officers mounted a security cordon around the residence.

An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was also stationed at the scene, further heightening the show of force.

Sources said the operatives disrupted a scheduled BATOGD Community Assessment and Review rally.
BATOGD—an acronym for Bola Ahmed Tinubu–Otunba Gbenga Daniel Movement—is a grassroots political platform supporting the second-term ambition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Daniel’s reported bid for the Senate in 2027.

An aide to Daniel, who currently represents Ogun East Senatorial District in the Senate, told journalists that security operatives prevented members of the group from accessing the venue for the planned meeting.
“Police stormed the Obanta Club area and blocked access to OGD’s residence to stop the BATOGD Community Assessment and Review Tour scheduled for today,” the aide said.
As of press time, the police had yet to issue an official statement on the deployment.

The development comes amid a deepening political rift between Daniel and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Just days earlier, tensions escalated within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East when Daniel was denied entry to a senatorial stakeholders’ meeting held at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode.
The meeting, considered crucial for decisions on the party’s senatorial ticket, turned rowdy after the former governor was stopped at the gate.

Governor Abiodun, who is also believed to be eyeing the Ogun East Senate seat, was reportedly endorsed as a consensus candidate—an outcome seen as a key trigger of the ongoing feud between the two political figures.
Daniel has previously accused the governor of using state apparatus to target him, including alleging that the APCstate executive unlawfully suspended him from the party.

A video circulating on social media showed the moment Daniel’s convoy was blocked, as supporters appealed for his entry into the meeting venue.

Addressing his supporters, a visibly frustrated Daniel said he had arrived early for the caucus meeting but was denied access.

“Today is our caucus meeting in Ijebu-Ode. I arrived early, but they told me I cannot go in. If any decisions are taken here without my participation, they will not stand,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, Daniel remained locked out of the meeting, raising concerns over the legitimacy of any resolutions reached in his absence.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said he would comment after obtaining full details of the incident. (Guardian)