House Lawmakers’ Group Demands Full Probe Into Osun Election Violence and Scale of Security Deployment
Some serving members of the House of Representatives, operating under the banner of the Save Democracy Group, have called for a comprehensive investigation into the violence and deaths recorded before and during the 2026 Osun State governorship election. The bipartisan lawmakers’ caucus issued the demand in a statement released in Abuja on Monday, signed by Hon Awaji-Inombek Abiante representing Rivers State under the NDC, Hon Abubakar Kusada representing Katsina State under the APC, and Hon Mansur Jega representing Kebbi State under the ADC. The group insisted that political ambition must never be allowed to justify the loss of Nigerian lives, warning that accountability must be pursued regardless of political affiliation or status.
In their statement, the lawmakers commended the people of Osun State for exercising their democratic rights despite what they described as an atmosphere of tension, intimidation and violence that preceded Saturday’s election. However, the group expressed deep concern over the scale of political violence recorded in the lead-up to the poll, noting that civil society organisations had documented fifty six violent incidents and fourteen deaths linked to the election, while the Nigeria Police Force had earlier confirmed that it was investigating thirty separate cases of suspected politically motivated killings connected to the election’s build-up. The lawmakers also referenced a shooting incident that occurred as recently as August 13, two days before the election, in which a resident of Esa-Oke was reportedly killed and another person injured, an incident subsequently confirmed by the police.
The group further called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant authorities to conduct thorough and independent investigations into all reported cases of political violence connected to the election, insisting that every death be properly investigated and every individual found responsible be held accountable through due legal process. As part of their demands, the lawmakers also urged authorities to independently examine a viral video allegedly showing Senator Francis Fadahunsi making comments widely interpreted as inciting his supporters to attack members of the Accord Party in Ilesa. While acknowledging that Fadahunsi had denied the allegation, the group insisted that the statement and its full context still required independent scrutiny by the appropriate authorities.
Beyond the specific allegations against the senator, the lawmakers stressed that political leaders occupy positions of significant influence and must understand that language capable of encouraging violence can carry deadly consequences, particularly in an already volatile political environment. They maintained that where credible evidence establishes that an offence has been committed, any individual involved, including Fadahunsi, must be prosecuted in accordance with the law, emphasizing that political office should never confer immunity from accountability. The group further urged relevant domestic and international legal authorities to assess whether any conduct supported by credible evidence might engage applicable international criminal law standards.
The lawmakers also raised pointed questions regarding the scale and composition of security personnel deployed across Osun State for the governorship election, noting that the state has not traditionally been classified among Nigeria’s principal conflict theatres, even while acknowledging that its history of political violence justified serious security preparations. The group argued that despite the extensive security deployment, casualties and violent incidents still occurred, raising questions about the overall effectiveness and accountability of the resources committed to the exercise. They stressed that the deployment of security personnel must never become a substitute for effective policing, and called on the federal government to publish a detailed security assessment explaining the scale of deployment to Osun.
The Save Democracy Group extended their concerns beyond the immediate context of the Osun election, drawing attention to ongoing insecurity in states such as Kebbi and Sokoto, where police officers and civilians have continued to lose their lives in recent attacks. They argued that Nigeria cannot be seen to police elections more effectively than it protects its citizens from terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime, questioning why similar levels of security resources are not consistently made available to combat ongoing threats in other parts of the country facing sustained insurgent and criminal activity.
About the Author
