By Opeyemi Adelakun
The campaign organisation backing the re-election of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the Nigeria Police of plotting to arrest dozens of opposition figures ahead of the August 15 governorship election, an allegation the Osun State Police Command has strongly denied.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Sunday, the Deputy Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that 46 politicians and supporters, mostly from Ikire in Irewole Local Government Area, had been marked for arrest.
According to him, the state’s Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, tops the alleged list, alongside several leaders and members of the Accord Party.
Alimi claimed the campaign had received intelligence indicating that the planned arrests were aimed at weakening opposition figures before the election.
“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,” he said.
He added, “Several leaders of the Accord Party and prominent opposition figures have been penned down for systematic, unlawful arrests in the days leading up to the election.”
Alimi further alleged that 46 individuals had been targeted for arrest and possible transfer to Abuja.
“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,” he alleged.
The campaign council also raised concerns over the arrest of an Accord Party chieftain in Ikire, Taofeek Akinyemi, who it claimed was detained after reporting to the police that he had been attacked by suspected hoodlums.
Alimi further accused an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) of allegedly working with political opponents to facilitate the arrest of Accord Party members in Ikire.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to intervene by directing the Osun State Police Command and other security units to stop what he described as arbitrary arrests and harassment of opposition figures.
The campaign council also demanded Akinyemi’s immediate release or his arraignment before a competent court.
However, the Osun State Police Command dismissed the allegations, insisting that no individual or political party was being targeted.
Reacting to the claims, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the command’s ongoing operations were intelligence-driven and focused solely on flushing out criminal elements ahead of the election.
“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, group of persons or political party,” Ojelabi said.
He stressed that the police had no list of politicians marked for arrest.
“We don’t have any list anywhere; the police do not formulate any list.
“We are only working with criminal records that we have and constantly raiding black spots and criminal hideouts.”
The police spokesperson urged residents to avoid criminal associations and late-night movements, warning that anyone found in the company of suspected criminals could become implicated during investigations.
Ojelabi also noted that the state government had proposed the establishment of a joint security task force for the election, expressing hope that such an arrangement would further strengthen coordinated security operations.
The exchange comes less than two weeks before Osun voters head to the polls, with political tension rising as parties intensify campaigns for the August 15 governorship election.
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