Legal practitioner and spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council (TICC), Pelumi Olajengbesi, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, urging the Nigeria Police Force to take immediate steps to halt what he described as a disturbing wave of politically motivated killings in Osun State.
In the petition submitted to the IGP at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Olajengbesi expressed concern over the growing insecurity in the state, warning that the recurring violence poses a serious threat to public safety, democratic governance, and the credibility of the governorship election scheduled for August 15.
The Abuja-based lawyer appealed to the police leadership to deploy additional tactical units to the state to curb the violence and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
According to him, the recent spate of election-related violence has resulted in the deaths of innocent citizens, injuries to several others, destruction of property, and widespread fear in communities across Osun State.
Olajengbesi also accused the Osun State Police Command of failing to respond effectively to repeated reports of political violence, alleging complacency in addressing the security challenges. He consequently called for the immediate redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police to restore public trust in law enforcement.
Among the key requests contained in the petition are a comprehensive investigation into all reported incidents of political violence, the arrest and prosecution of individuals found to have participated in or sponsored the attacks, and the deployment of additional tactical and conventional police personnel to identified flashpoints across the state.
He also urged the police authorities to conduct a comprehensive review of the state’s security architecture ahead of the governorship election and direct all police formations in Osun to enforce the law impartially, irrespective of political affiliation.
In the petition, Olajengbesi stated that the objective was not merely to raise concerns about political developments but to draw attention to what he described as an alarming pattern of violence threatening lives and the democratic process.
He noted that the killing of 14-year-old Ezekiel Olapade in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, was one of several tragic incidents recorded in recent months, adding that the petition was accompanied by schedules containing the names of victims, dates and locations of attacks, witness statements, photographs, videos, media reports, and other documentary evidence.
According to the lawyer, the continued failure to promptly investigate and prosecute perpetrators of political violence has weakened public confidence in law enforcement and encouraged a culture of impunity.
He stressed that elections should reflect the freely expressed will of the people through the ballot box rather than intimidation, violence, or bloodshed.
Olajengbesi urged the Inspector-General of Police to treat the petition with urgency, insisting that decisive intervention is necessary to protect lives, safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, and ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
