IGP Sends Delegation To Osun, Orders Crackdown On Political K!llings Ahead Of Governorship Election
IGP Sends Delegation To Osun, Orders Crackdown On Political Killings Ahead Of Governorship Election
According to Fayoade, he visited the Ataoja of Osogbo to assure the monarch that the prevailing security challenges would be addressed.
The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate crackdown on political killings and violence in Osun State, dispatching the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the South-West, Adegoke Fayoade, to the state with directives to restore peace ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
DIG Fayoade disclosed this on Friday during a closed-door meeting with Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Government House in Osogbo, where he conveyed the IGP’s directives to the state police command and other senior officers.
The DIG, who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 11, the Osun State Commissioner of Police and other top police officers, said he was sent to Osun on the instruction of the IGP to investigate the recent wave of political violence and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Delivering the IGP’s message, Fayoade said, “The Commissioner of Police and his men have been instructed that never again should any act of brigandage take place in this state. The IG has directed the AIG and the CP to take charge and ensure that this act of violence, that is already giving the population apprehension and fear, is not allowed to occur again.
“I have also directed the AIG and the Commissioner of Police on the order of the IG, that any act of murder or brigandage or any unlawful act perpetrated in the state must be fully investigated. Anybody found culpable should be arrested and prosecuted.
“I want to assure you that the Osun state forthcoming elections will be conducted under a very peaceful atmosphere. We can recall the last election in Anambra, just last Saturday Ekiti election was conducted under a very peaceful atmosphere and we don’t want anything different from that in Osun State. That is the standard that has been set and that is the standard we are going to follow.”
“Your Excellency, I am assuring you that the police will live up to the expectation. The police commissioner and his men will perform their duties in line with the constitution and in line with the rule of law. We are not going to allow anybody to violate the law of the land and cause any havoc or any uneasiness in the state.”
“We the police must rise up to the occasion, put our men on their toes, restrategize, so that all these challenges can be tackled. I have addressed the officers and men of this command, and we have restrategized. I have given them the message from the IGP that they must rise up to the occasion and put an end to all these acts that are embarrassing the country,” he added.
According to Fayoade, he visited the Ataoja of Osogbo to assure the monarch that the prevailing security challenges would be addressed.
He said efforts were underway to prevent bandits, criminals, and thugs from taking over Osun State, stressing that the government was determined to maintain a safe environment for economic activities. He also emphasised the need to ensure absolute peace in the state as the election period approaches.
“We don’t want any act of violence, any act of murder, whatsoever,” he said.
“Until recently, the state has been peaceful, but as elections are approaching, we are starting to witness some acts of gangsterism, almost taking over the state. The IG specifically asked me to come and inform you, Your Excellency, that we are not oblivious of this happening, that we are determined to put a stop to it.”
Responding, Governor Adeleke welcomed the intervention of the police leadership but insisted that ending the violence would only be meaningful if those behind the killings and attacks were arrested and prosecuted.
The governor accused some police officers in the state of collaborating with political thugs and failing to take action against those responsible for recent attacks and killings.
“You are in this state at a time negligence and partisanship of some of your officers have worsened political violence in the state. You visit us at a time some policemen are openly known to be collaborating with political thugs to unleash violence on our people,” the governor said.
“Your official entrance comes at a time when we have recorded three unresolved political murders in the last few weeks, namely Eluyera at Ikire, Ezekiel at Ilobu and Aderogba at Esa Oke. There has been no single arrest.
“In Osun today, political thugs drove round the town, shooting sporadically, attacking innocent residents. They destroyed Accord billboards. Yet, the police command looks the other way. Even when the suspects are well known, there have been no single arrests. Only in Osun state do we have police operatives eager to arrest Accord members on the most minor of grounds but has yet to arrest a single suspect in a series of murders and gun attacks.”
Adeleke said, “I welcome you to Osun state where unfair policing has been upgraded to direct partnership between some elements in the police and APC political thugs. Our administration has confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police to sustain the peace and stability of our dear state but we seek enforcement of the law without fear or favour.”
“I have listened to the message from the IGP. We wait to see the outcome of these interventions. We count on you to stop the spate of killings. Your state police commissioner has failed us,” the governor told the DIG and his team.
The meeting comes amid heightened political tension in Osun State ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, with growing concerns over politically motivated killings, attacks and other acts of violence.
The IGP’s intervention is expected to bolster security operations in the state, with the police leadership directing the state command to investigate all reported cases of murder, brigandage and political violence, arrest all culpable suspects and ensure their prosecution in accordance with the law.
