The Osun State Police Command has denied claims by the Imole Campaign Council that it compiled a list of 46 people for arrest before the 15 August governorship election, insisting its security operations are aimed only at criminals.
The campaign council, which is leading Governor Ademola Adeleke‘s re election bid, made the allegation on Sunday in Osogbo and appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to intervene over what it alleged was a planned crackdown on political figures.
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The disagreement surfaced less than two weeks before Osun voters head to the polls.
Security arrangements have become a major issue as political parties prepare for the election, with the campaign council questioning police actions and the command insisting that its operations are meant to keep residents safe.
Campaign alleges planned arrests
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the Deputy Director General of the Imole Campaign Council, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that the police had identified 46 people for arrest ahead of the election.
He said most of those listed are from Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area. Alimi alleged that the Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, heads the list.
He also alleged that Taofeek Akinyemi, a chieftain of the Accord Party in Ikire, was shot by hoodlums and later arrested and detained after reporting the incident to the police.
Alimi further accused an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps of working with the opposition to facilitate the arrest of Accord Party members in Ikire.
He alleged that the action formed part of a plot to interrupt the party’s campaign activities in the area.
He said the campaign council had received what he described as credible security reports about a coordinated plan involving political opponents and compromised security operatives.
“Specifically, 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,” Alimi said.
Among those he named were Ademola Adeyemo, Idris Idowu Jooda, Pastor Paul Akinola, Mukaila Yusuf, Dr Kazeem Atoba, Yesiru Olaniyi, Alhaji Olokeola, Wale Olunloye, Taye Adeyemo, Moshood Jolaiya, Lere Ogungbade, Kola Akinpelu, Tiri Adepoju and Pastor Femi Oladiran, alongside others.
Alimi demanded the release of Akinyemi or his arraignment before a court. He also asked the Inspector General of Police to direct the Osun State Police Command, the State Criminal Investigation Department and special squads from Abuja to stop the alleged arrests and transfers of opposition figures.
He also requested a review of security deployments before the election to ensure professional, neutral and impartial policing.
Police defend security operations
The Osun State Police Command rejected the allegations and maintained that it had no list of political figures marked for arrest.
Police Public Relations Officer Abiodun Ojelabi said officers have continued daily raids on black spots and criminal hideouts as part of preparations for the governorship 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,” he said.
Ojelabi also said the police do not prepare lists of people for political reasons.
“We don’t have any list anywhere; the police do not formulate any list,” he said.
He explained that police operations rely on existing criminal records and intelligence.
He advised parents to caution their children against late night movement and keeping company with people who have criminal records because such associations could expose them to police investigations.
Ojelabi also referred to a proposed joint task force promised by the state government. He said such an arrangement would help show that election security is not being handled by the police alone, though he noted that the command was still waiting for the plan to take effect.
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