THIS Friday, Nigeria Police Force raised a red flag over the planned local government elections in Osun State, warning of an imminent security threat that could plunge the state into chaos. In a strongly worded statement, the police advised the Osun State Government to suspend the elections, citing intelligence reports that political actors and other interest groups are mobilizing for violence.
Despite this comprehensive security warning, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration appears determined to proceed with the contentious election, raising concerns that the state government is prioritizing political gains over public safety. The police made it clear that the volatile atmosphere could escalate into widespread unrest, endangering lives and property if the elections go ahead as planned.
Furthermore, the legal basis of the election is in question following Prince Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation’s clarification that the process lacks a firm judicial foundation. The Court of Appeal’s ruling on February 10, 2025, effectively nullified an earlier Federal High Court decision, upon which the sack of the elected officials was previously premised by Governor Adeleke, reinforcing that the election remains legally flawed. The police, therefore, warned that a disregard for both legal and security advisories could trigger an avoidable crisis.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, nevertheless assures Osun indigenes that security agencies are fully prepared to act decisively to prevent a breakdown of law and order. However, everywhere one turns to, the supporters of the ruling PDP government, including the state handlers, are beating a drum of war, insisting that the court of appeal judgment is inconsequential, a development capable of sparking violence in the state. Notorious thugs linked to the government were Friday night seen regrouping in their numbers, ostensibly preparing to unleash terror on opposition members and unsuspecting members of the public. Nurudeen Alowonle, an appointee of Governor Adeleke who made headlines some months ago for illegally being in possession of a police gun, is reportedly leading the gang of political terrors exported from Kwara, Oyo and other states to suppress the dissenting voice and drive the newly reinstated local government chairmen and councilors out of town to give the PDP a free day. Another dreaded PDP thug, Emir Ajagungbade, also has allegedly been assigned to disrupt the peace in Boripe, Boluwaduro and Odo-Otin local government areas. Emir, facing criminal charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism and murder at an Osogbo Federal High Court, was alongside members of his gang, sighted on Friday in Hilux buses belonging to the state government, wielding guns, axes and other dangerous weapons to scare the public.
The insistence of the Ademola Adeleke government to proceed on the contrived election, notwithstanding the troubling security alert by the Nigerian Police, raises concern about the government’s commitment to peaceful co-existence in the state. Should the state engulf in crises, critical stakeholders have said the blame should rest squarely on the shoulders of Governor Adeleke and his administration, who have chosen to ignore professional security assessments and legal realities.
With the security landscape already fragile, stakeholders have urged Adeleke to prioritize the well-being of Osun residents over political expediency. The warning from the police is unambiguous; therefore, proceeding with the election under these circumstances is an invitation to chaos. If blood is spilled, there will be no excuse for those who failed to act responsibly.
Osun indigenes, civil society organizations, and opposition parties are now watching closely. The question remains: Will Governor Adeleke heed the security warning, or will he recklessly push Osun into an avoidable crisis?
Dr Daniel Falodun is the Convener of North-South Security Network ( NSSN)
