Osun guber: Group urges security agencies to take measures to prevent violence
By Ismail Azeez
The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness has called on security agencies to take urgent measures to prevent violence before, during, and after the Osun State governorship election.
Speaking at a press conference held on Thursday in Osogbo, the Director-General and Head of Mission of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, said that about 40 people had reportedly been killed in pre-election-related violence across the state.
Gabriel expressed concern that political campaigns had increasingly shifted from issue-based engagements to personal attacks, insults, and inflammatory statements.
He warned political officeholders to avoid statements capable of inflaming tensions or encouraging violence.
He demanded increased security deployment across the six local government areas in Ijeshaland to protect voters and residents before, during, and after the election.
Gabriel urged security agencies to conduct operations against armed thugs and individuals allegedly impersonating police officers, while also calling for an investigation into the activities of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Osun State.
According to him, “Our pre-election monitoring reveals a deeply alarming security landscape: approximately 40 persons have been killed in pre-election-related violence across Osun State.”
“The political atmosphere is heavily charged. Politicians have largely abandoned issue-based campaigns in favor of personal attacks, insults, and inciting language capable of fracturing public peace.”
“We strongly condemn the unguarded, reckless, and despicable remarks made by a prominent South-South Governor, whose utterances were entirely unbefitting of his office and capable of inciting a breakdown of law and order. Such careless statements overheat the polity and must be reined in immediately.”
“Senator Fadahunsi was captured on a verified video openly inciting members of his party (APC) to kill members of the Accord Party and their supporters wherever they are found in Ijeshaland. Credible intelligence confirms that the senator has imported thugs, hoodlums, and fake policemen into Ilase (his hometown) as well as towns across Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East, and Atakumosa West LGAs.”
“Senator Fadahunsi boasted about using ‘federal might’ to intimidate voters, threatening that even if Accord Party members present their PVCs at polling units on Saturday, August 15, his thugs will prevent them from voting.”
“The senator has also continuously boasted of using the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to harass, arrest, and intimidate opposition leaders. Notably, an aide to the senator named ASP Wemimo has been leading IRT personnel to the homes of Accord Party leaders, including the continued unlawful abduction and detention of a House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola.”
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to order the immediate arrest and thorough prosecution of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi and all individuals masterminding pre-election violence in Osun State, in accordance with domestic and international laws.”
“All security formations deployed for Saturday’s election must pay hyper-vigilant attention to the six LGAs in Ijeshaland to safeguard the lives of law-abiding citizens.”
“Security agencies must immediately comb and flush out armed thugs and fake policemen quartered in Ilase-Ijesha and other enclaves by political actors,” he said.