The World Institute for Peace has called for an immediate end to political killings and violence in Osun State, urging security agencies to take decisive action ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
The institute formally petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP), Tunji Disu, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), demanding thorough investigations into unresolved cases of politically motivated violence and the prosecution of those responsible.
Speaking after submitting the petitions on Monday at the Force headquarters, the executive director of the institute, Lamina Omotoyosi, said the organisation was alarmed by the resurgence of political violence in the state and warned that failure to act could further threaten peace and security.
According to him, “We are here to submit a petition to the office of the Nigerian Police concerning insecurity in Nigeria and the crisis affecting Osun State ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.”
Omotoyosi urged the inspector-general of police to ensure that unresolved cases involving murder, kidnapping, terrorism and other violent crimes were thoroughly investigated and that perpetrators were brought to justice.
He stated that “political violence remains one of the major drivers of insecurity across the country, alleging that political thuggery sponsored by politicians has continued to fuel bloodshed in several states, including Osun.
“When you look at the crisis in Nigeria today, you will discover that many of these violent crimes are rooted in political violence. The same pattern can be seen across different parts of the country, including Osun State.”
He recalled that the organisation had in 2023, warned security agencies about the dangers of political thuggery, citing the 2022 political crisis in Osun State in which more than 30 people were reportedly killed.
“We organised a press conference where we warned security agencies to address political thuggery. We cited the 2022 crisis in Osun where over 30 people reportedly lost their lives. We also submitted letters to the president, the chief of defence staff, the service chiefs and the NSCDC,” he said.
Omotoyosi expressed concern that the violence the institute had warned against was re-emerging, with fresh reports of politically motivated killings and attacks in the state.
