OSUN 2026: POLICE DENY ‘HIT LIST’ ALLEGATION AMID ACCORD CRACKDOWN CLAIMS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Imole Campaign Council, which is spearheading the re-election bid of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has accused the state Police Command of compiling a list of 46 individuals, including a serving commissioner, for arrest ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, the council’s Deputy Director-General, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that most of those listed for arrest are residents of Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area.
Alimi, who said top on the list allegedly drawn up by the opposition of those targeted for arrest was the Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, added that a chieftain of the Accord in Ikire, Taofeek Akinyemi, who was reportedly shot by hoodlums after reporting the incident to the police, was also arrested and detained by the security operatives for no justifiable reason.
Alimi, who is the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, also accused a particular operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps of working with the opposition party to undertake mass arrest of the Accord members in Ikire as part of the plot to disrupt campaign activities of the party in the local government area.
Even more alarming are the credible security reports reaching the leadership of the Imole Campaign Council regarding a coordinated “hit list” drawn up by political opponents in collusion with compromised security operatives.
“Several leaders of the Accord and prominent opposition figures have been “penned down” for systematic, unlawful arrests in the days leading up to the election.
“Specifically, we have confirmed information that the following individuals (46 in number) have been marked for arbitrary arrest, harassment, and forcible transfer to Abuja to keep them out of circulation during the election,” Alimi said.
He listed those planned for arrest to include Ademola Adeyemo (Energy commissioner), Idris Idowu Jooda, Pastor Paul Akinola, Mukaila Yusuf, Dr Kazeem Atoba, Yesiru Olaniyi, Alhaji Olokeola, Wale Olunloye, Taye Adeyemo, Moshood Jolaiya, Lere Ogungbade, Kola Akinpelu, Tiri Adepoju and Pastor Femi Oladiran, among others.
Demanding the immediate release of Akinyemi or his arraignment in court, Alimi also called on the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to immediately issue a firm directive to the Osun State Police Command, SCID, and special squads from Abuja to cease the arbitrary arrest and harassment of opposition leaders, including the listed individuals marked for Abuja transfer.
He also called on the Force Headquarters to review the deployment of security officers in Osun State ahead of the election to ensure that only professional, neutral, and uncorrupted personnel are on duty.
When contacted for reaction, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, dismissed the allegations, saying operatives will continue to raid dark spots across the state to further protect the lives and properties of the residents.
Ojelabi said, “We are raiding black spots and criminal hideouts every day to sanitise the environment for the forthcoming election, and this raid is not targeted at any individual, nor a group of persons or a political party.
“It is targeted at criminal hideouts. We don’t have any list anywhere; the police don’t formulate any list.
“We are only working with criminal records that we have and constantly raiding black spots and criminal hideouts.
“We have advised parents to caution their children against moving around late at night and associating with individuals who have criminal records, as such relationships could expose them to criminal investigations.
“The state government also promised to establish a joint task force, which would have strengthened security efforts by involving other agencies instead of leaving the responsibility solely to the police. However, nothing has been done so far.
“Hopefully, the initiative will be implemented soon, so security operations will not be handled by the police alone or create the impression that certain individuals are being specifically targeted.”
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