The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate crackdown on political killings, violence and other forms of criminality in Osun State, with a directive that perpetrators be arrested and prosecuted.

The directive was conveyed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the South-West, Adegoke Fayoade, during a visit to Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Government House in Osogbo following a closed-door meeting.

Fayoade, who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 11, the Osun State Commissioner of Police and other senior police officers, said he was deployed to the state on the orders of the IGP to assess the security situation and ensure an end to the recent wave of political violence.

He said the IGP had directed the AIG and the Commissioner of Police to take full responsibility for restoring peace and preventing further acts of violence.

“The Commissioner of Police and his men have been instructed that never again should any act of brigandage take place in this state,” Fayoade said.

“The Inspector-General has directed the AIG and the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the violence creating fear and apprehension among residents is brought to an end.”

The DIG said the police hierarchy had also ordered thorough investigations into all reported cases of murder, political violence and other criminal acts, stressing that anyone found culpable would be arrested and prosecuted.

He assured residents that the forthcoming elections in Osun State would be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, noting that the police intended to replicate the peaceful conduct recorded during recent elections in Anambra and Ekiti states.

“We are not going to allow anybody to violate the law or create insecurity in the state,” he said.

Fayoade disclosed that he had met with officers and men of the Osun State Police Command to review security strategies and reinforce the IGP’s directive to end criminal activities in the state.

He also said he visited the Ataoja of Osogbo to reassure the traditional ruler that the police would tackle the security challenges confronting the state.

“We do not want a situation where Osun State will be taken over by bandits, criminals and political thugs or where economic activities are disrupted because of insecurity,” he added.

According to the DIG, although Osun had remained largely peaceful until recently, political tensions ahead of the elections had led to an increase in violence, prompting the IGP’s intervention.

Responding, Governor Ademola Adeleke welcomed the police intervention but expressed concern over what he described as the partisan conduct of some police officers in the state.

The governor alleged that some officers were collaborating with political thugs linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a situation he said had contributed to the escalation of political violence.

Adeleke lamented that three politically related killings in recent weeks—including those of Eluyera in Ikire, Ezekiel in Ilobu and Aderogba in Esa Oke—remain unresolved, with no arrests made.

He also alleged that armed political thugs had attacked residents and vandalised campaign billboards belonging to the Accord Party without any intervention from the police.

According to the governor, while opposition party members are allegedly arrested over minor offences, suspects linked to serious crimes, including murder and gun attacks, have not been apprehended.

Adeleke urged the police leadership to ensure impartial law enforcement and called for the redeployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, whom he accused of lacking the capacity and willingness to discharge his duties fairly.

“The general consensus among the people of Osun is that the Commissioner of Police is compromised and should be moved out of the state,” the governor said.

He maintained that the people of Osun were demanding fair and impartial policing ahead of the elections, stressing that the state required a peaceful environment that would guarantee free, fair and credible polls.

Adeleke said his administration remained confident in President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police to restore peace in the state and ensure that all offenders, regardless of political affiliation, are brought to justice.

“We have listened to the message from the Inspector-General of Police and we look forward to seeing the outcome of these interventions. We are counting on the police to stop the spate of killings in the state,” the governor said.