Security Operatives Lay S!ege To Osun Senator Oyewumi’s Residence In Midnight Operation To Arrest Him, Office Says

Security Operatives Lay Siege To Osun Senator Oyewumi’s Residence In Midnight Operation To Arrest Him, Office Says

Security operatives reportedly laid siege to the Osun State residence of the Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Akogun Lere Kamorudeen Oyewumi, in a midnight operation allegedly aimed at effecting his arrest.

The operation reportedly took place at about 1:00 a.m., with about 10 Hilux vehicles deployed to the residence, according to a statement issued by the Media Unit of the Office of the Senate Deputy Minority Leader.

The development comes amid heightened political activities in Osun State ahead of the governorship election, with opposition parties and their supporters campaigning across the state.

The Media Unit described the operation as a “shameful attempt to silence key opposition voices and subvert democratic freedoms,” accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using intimidation to suppress political opponents.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) has once again demonstrated its growing desperation through a shameful attempt to silence key opposition voices and subvert democratic freedoms,” the statement said.

According to the statement, Oyewumi’s residence “was laid under siege by security operatives wielding a heavy deployment of about 10 Hilux vehicles in a blatant bid to effect an arrest.”

The senator’s office described the reported deployment as “not an act of lawful governance, but a calculated show of force meant to instill fear and suppress a leader who has steadfastly stood for the people.”

It demanded clarification from the authorities on the circumstances surrounding the reported operation, including the legal basis and command structure behind the deployment.

“If this raid was indeed a legitimate operation, the public deserves immediate and transparent answers regarding the legal authority, official justification, and command behind such a massive state deployment,” the statement said.

The office also warned against what it described as the weaponisation of security agencies for political purposes, arguing that such actions could undermine democratic freedoms and the rights of opposition politicians.

“The orchestrators of this siege must realize that weaponizing state security to terrorize political figures is a direct assault on democratic norms,” it said.

The statement added: “You may deploy a fleet of armed vehicles, but you cannot arrest courage; you may surround a physical residence, but no amount of force can imprison the truth.”

Oyewumi’s office also alleged that some individuals were attempting to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s intentions regarding the Osun election.

“It is very sad that some dissidents were hell-bent on tarnishing the good intentions of Mr. President on Osun election,” the statement said.

It, however, insisted that the reported raid would not deter the senator from carrying out his political activities or engaging with his constituents.

“However, let it be made crystal clear to those driving this agenda: intimidation will never break Senator Lere Oyewumi, pressure will not silence him, and a reckless show of force will not defeat his resolve,” it said.

The senator’s office further called on residents of Ikire to remain calm and participate in the electoral process without fear.

“We urge the resilient people of Ikire to remain fearless, resolute, and completely undeterred by these state-sponsored tactics,” it said.

“Harassment will fail, and the populace will turn out en masse to exercise their democratic franchise without fear or panic.”

The Media Unit also appealed to civil society organisations, human rights groups and the international community to monitor the development and demand accountability over the alleged operation.

It warned that democracy could be undermined if state security machinery was allegedly deployed against opposition figures.

The statement concluded by reaffirming Oyewumi’s commitment to his constituents, saying, “Senator Lere Kamorudeen Oyewumi remains standing, resolute and fearless, alongside the people whose mandate he carries.”

In July, SaharaReporters reported that the Osun State High Court in Ikire had declared that the Nigerian Police Force violated the constitutional rights of Senator Oyewumi by subjecting him to repeated police invitations, intimidation, and threats of arrest without prosecuting him, permanently restraining the police from continuing the actions.

Senator Oyewumi is a member of the Accord Party, having defected from the People’s Democratic Party in March 2026, joining Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke, who also defected.

The judgment, obtained by SaharaReporters, was delivered by Justice J.O. Owolawi in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the senator against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone XI, Osogbo, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, and the Nigeria Police Force.

In the June 23, 2026 judgment, the court held that the police had failed to challenge the senator’s evidence despite being served with the court processes and hearing notices, prompting the court to accept his affidavit as uncontroverted.

The judge subsequently declared that the “consistent, persistent and continuous acts of intimidating, victimization, incessant invitations and threatening of arrest” against the senator were “wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional” because they violated the protections guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution.

The court also issued a perpetual injunction restraining the police and their officers from “disturbing, arresting, intimidating, harassing, inviting and molesting or further threatening” the senator.