- alleges eight Accord party members killed, 20 injured, over 60 detained in last three months
- urges National Peace Committee intervention
By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused the state police command and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly unleashing violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrests on members and supporters of his government ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He made the allegations on Thursday while addressing a peace summit convened ahead of the election, where he appealed to peace leaders and other stakeholders to intervene and prevent what he described as a dangerous escalation of violence in the state.
The governor, who said he attended the meeting despite initially considering a boycott, attributed his decision to his respect for the peace leaders present at the summit.
Adeleke said Osun had witnessed what he described as “police sanctioned violence and intimidation” over the past three months, alleging that members and supporters of his political camp had come under repeated attacks.
He specifically accused the APC and the Osun State Police Command of allegedly working together to intimidate his supporters,.
“I should have boycotted this peace meeting because of the violence unleashed on Osun State in the last few months, on the directive of Gboyega Oyetola. However, my presence is due to my very deep respect for our peace leaders here present,” Adeleke said.
According to the governor, the purpose of the gathering was to endorse peace, but he alleged that his government and supporters were facing sustained attacks.
“Our gathering is to endorse peace but my government and people are facing police sanctioned violence and intimidation. War is being waged actively against my people by Osun APC openly supported by the Osun State Police Command,” he alleged.
Adeleke urged the peace leaders to intervene, saying the state was heading towards a dangerous situation unless immediate steps were taken to stop further violence.
‘Eight Party Members Killed, More Than 20 Injured’
The governor alleged that eight members of his party had been killed in gun attacks within the last three months, while more than 20 others sustained injuries.
He expressed concern that, according to him, there had been no prosecution or active arrest linked to the alleged attacks.
Adeleke claimed that the perpetrators were known APC thugs and that some of the attacks allegedly occurred in the presence of police officers.
“There is no single prosecution or active arrest till date. The perpetrators are known Osun APC thugs with crimes committed in the presence of the police. Video evidence is everywhere on the internet,” he said.
The governor also raised concerns over the alleged detention of Accord Party members and leaders, claiming that more than 60 members were being held by the police without being charged to court.
He alleged that some Accord leaders had been arrested and moved outside Osun State to Abuja and Nasarawa State, including an Accord candidate for the House of Representatives whom he identified as Hon. Alaba.
Adeleke Questions Arrests, Detention Outside Osun
The governor also referred to the recent arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, alleging that the SSG was arrested on what he described as trumped-up charges and detained overnight after his residence was searched.
Adeleke questioned the legal basis for the alleged transfer of Osun political actors to Abuja for detention and prosecution.
“This is supposed to be a democracy, where the police uphold the rule of law. Under which law can a state police commissioner take instructions from Mr Gboyega Oyetola to arrest Accord Party members in Osun State and move them to Abuja and be held in prisons without any charge?” he asked.
He also questioned why suspects allegedly arrested in Osun would be taken to Abuja when both Federal High Courts and State High Courts are available in the state.
“Why Abuja? We have both the Federal High Court and State High Courts in Osun State, where anyone can be arraigned,” Adeleke said.
The governor therefore appealed to the peace committee to prevail on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that anyone in police custody was either released or properly charged in accordance with the law.
“On behalf of Osun State and for the sake of the rule of law, I ask the Peace Committee to prevail upon the Inspector General of Police to return everyone in police custody.
“Those remanded in prisons should be returned to Osun State, and be charged to courts in Osun State, if the police can show that they have committed any crime,” he said.
Governor Alleges Takeover of Motor Parks
Adeleke further alleged that a person he described as a leader of APC thugs had, with alleged assistance from the police, taken over garages and motor parks across the state.
He did not name the individual in the address but said the development represented another dimension of the alleged political violence ahead of the election.
“Just a few days ago, the leader of APC thugs who was actively fingered in all the attacks was helped by the police to take over garages and motor parks across Osun,” he alleged.
The governor warned of what he described as an “active plot” to kill and maim residents before, during and after the election.
He appealed to the peace leaders to intervene with President Bola Tinubu and other relevant authorities to prevent further violence.
“We seek that you interface with Mr President to stop the Marine Minister, Gboyega Oyetola, the Osun APC and the Osun Police Commissioner from unleashing further violence on Osun people,” Adeleke said.
He also demanded an end to what he described as an “unholy alliance” between the police, APC and alleged political thugs.
Calls for Impartial Policing
Adeleke called on the police authorities to emulate other security agencies which, according to him, had conducted themselves professionally in the state.
He demanded impartial policing before, during and after the election, stressing that security agencies must operate without political bias.
“We call on the police authorities to emulate other security agencies which have been very professional. Police must be impartial like other security agencies,” he said.
The governor also called for a free and fair election in which the will of voters would prevail.
He warned that his supporters would resist any attempt to rig the election, although he stressed that his administration had so far discouraged supporters from resorting to self-help or retaliation.
“We seek free and fair polls where peoples’ will should be supreme. Our people will severely resist rigging in all forms,” he said.
‘We Have Refused to Retaliate’
Adeleke said his supporters had deliberately refrained from retaliating against alleged attacks because of their belief in the rule of law.
“So far, we have refused to retaliate. My people have not resorted to self-help. This is not out of weakness but due to our firm belief in rule of law,” he said.
The governor described the current situation in the state as “a peace of the graveyard,” while reaffirming his commitment to peaceful elections.
“We are committed to peace but we are presently having a peace of the graveyard,” he said.
Adeleke declared that he and his supporters were prepared for the August 15 governorship election and urged stakeholders to ensure that voters were allowed to freely express their choices.
“We are ready for August 15; Osun people are ready to vote,” he said.
He identified the administration’s key demands as impartial policing, a fair and just electoral process and respect for the supremacy of voters’ will at the polls.
The governor thanked the peace leaders for their intervention and efforts toward ensuring a peaceful electoral process in Osun State.
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