Screenshot of the post claiming that Osun State ALGON Chairman, Otunba Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde, was shot
Claim
As election process comes to an end in Osun, a post surfaced on Facebook, claiming that the “Osun State ALGON Chairman, Otunba Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde, was reportedly shot by one Adetoro Kazeem a.k.a. ‘Kazeem Young Ade’.”
The post was made by “Ikirun Empire”, with a photograph showing Awotunde seated with what appears to be a blood-stained injury on his trousers and calls on security agencies to intervene and ensure justice.
Verdict
FALSE
Available evidence indicates that Sarafadeen Awotunde was not shot.
A report published on August 15, 2026, specifically addressing the allegation states that the shooting claim was not true and that Awotunde was involved in a physical confrontation with an APC member.
The photograph therefore appears to show a real injury, but the available evidence does not support the claim that the injury was caused by a gunshot.
What we found
1. The shooting allegation circulated widely
The claim was not limited to the Facebook post shown in the screenshot.
Several posts on X published the same day repeated the allegation that Awotunde had been shot by Adetoro Kazeem, also known as “Kazeem Young Ade”.
This establishes that the allegation was circulating widely on social media.
However, multiple social-media posts repeating the same claim do not constitute independent confirmation. In this case, the posts appear to be repeating substantially the same allegation.
2. A contemporaneous report debunked the shooting claim
The strongest evidence located in this fact-check is a report published today, August 15, 2026, titled:
“Shooting of ex-ALGON Chairman not True, Awotunde Involved in Physical Combat with APC Member.”
The report states that the allegation that Awotunde was shot was not true and instead describes the incident as a physical confrontation involving an APC member.
This directly contradicts the central claim in the report on the Facebook post.
3. The photograph does not prove that he was shot
The photograph accompanying the Facebook post shows Awotunde seated and appears to show blood on his white clothing around the knee area.
The image can therefore reasonably support the narrower observation that he appears to have sustained an injury.
But a photograph of blood or an injury cannot, by itself, establish the cause of the injury.
There is no visible gunshot wound, bullet, firearm, spent cartridge, medical report or other evidence in the photograph that independently proves that Awotunde was shot. The person who took the picture would have asked him to show the deeper gun injury if there was truly a bullet wound.
4. The identity of the ALGON chairman is not fabricated
Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde is a real political figure in Osun State.
He emerged as Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in February 2025, while serving as Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government.
The Osun State Government has also previously identified Sarafadeen Awotunde as the State ALGON Chairman.
While the post refers to a real person, the description of what happened to him is incorrect.
5. There is political tension surrounding Awotunde and Ikirun
The allegation is circulating against the background of an already politically sensitive environment in Ifelodun Local Government.
In February 2026, Awotunde publicly raised concerns about alleged intimidation of elders and community leaders in Ikirun and called on security agencies to remain neutral and professional in the ongoing chieftaincy dispute.
There have also been previous political disputes involving Awotunde and opposition figures in the area.
This background may explain why an allegation involving violence against him could spread rapidly during the election period.
However, political tension does not make the shooting allegation true.
What is confirmed and what is not?
| Element of the claim | Finding |
| Sarafadeen Awotunde is a real Osun ALGON chairman | True |
| Awotunde was involved in an incident/altercation | Supported |
| Awotunde sustained an injury | The photograph supports an injury |
| Awotunde was shot | False / Not supported |
| Adetoro Kazeem shot him | Not established |
| The injury was caused by a gunshot | Not established |
| Security agencies should investigate the incident | A reasonable call, but not evidence that a shooting occurred |
Why the wording matters
There is an important difference between saying:
“Awotunde was injured during a reported physical confrontation.”
and:
“Awotunde was shot by Kazeem Young Ade.”
The second statement alleges a specific criminal act by a named individual. Such an allegation requires strong evidence, particularly when it could lead to public outrage, retaliation or further political violence.
The available evidence does not establish that a gun was used.
The contemporaneous report instead says the shooting allegation was false and that the incident involved physical combat.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The viral report on a Facebook post claiming that Osun State ALGON Chairman Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde was shot by Adetoro Kazeem, aka “Kazeem Young Ade,” is false based on the evidence currently available.
A photograph does show Awotunde with an apparent injury and blood on his clothing, but the photograph does not establish that he was shot.
A current report addressing the incident states that there was no shooting and that Awotunde was instead involved in a physical confrontation with an APC member.
There is no official statement by the police that he was shot.
Therefore, the post has taken an apparent injury and attributed it to a gunshot without sufficient evidence.
