Osun Police Warn Against Forceful Takeover of Local Government Secretariats Amid Post-Election Tensions
The Osun State Police Command has issued a strong warning against any attempt by individuals or groups to forcefully take over local government secretariats, premises or properties across the state, cautioning that those found culpable would face arrest and prosecution. The warning was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo by the Commissioner of Police for the Election, Samuel Etaifo, through the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, following growing concern over reports of planned takeovers linked to the recently concluded governorship election.
According to the statement, the police command had received reports indicating that some individuals and groups, reportedly members of the Accord Party, had allegedly stormed local government secretariats in areas including Ede North, Ede South and Ifelodun following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as winner of Saturday’s governorship election. There were also separate reports of individuals wearing yellow face caps associated with the Accord Party targeting motor parks across the state in an apparent effort to remove existing occupants and assume control of those facilities. The police expressed serious concern over these developments, particularly given that matters relating to the administration of certain local government areas remain actively before the courts.
Etaifo stated clearly that no individual, political group or association holds the right to resort to self-help or the use of force in an attempt to assume control of any local government area or public institution while judicial proceedings on the matter remain ongoing. He stressed that all parties involved in any such disputes must exercise patience and allow the courts to determine the outcome of these matters in accordance with due legal process, rather than attempting to resolve them through unilateral action or physical confrontation.
The Commissioner of Police further warned that any attempt to forcibly occupy or disrupt local government facilities would be treated as a serious breach of the peace and dealt with decisively in accordance with the law, including the arrest and prosecution of anyone found responsible for such actions. He emphasized that the police command would not tolerate actions capable of undermining the fragile peace achieved following the successful and largely peaceful conclusion of the governorship election, describing continued stability as essential to the state’s post-election recovery.
As part of efforts to prevent further escalation, Etaifo specifically called on parents, community and traditional leaders, political and youth leaders, along with other relevant stakeholders across the state, to counsel their supporters against engaging in actions capable of undermining peace and security in Osun. He urged all citizens to remain calm, respect the rule of law, and allow ongoing judicial processes to run their full course without interference from any political or community actors seeking to force a particular outcome ahead of formal legal determination.
The Commissioner concluded by reaffirming the police command’s continued commitment to protecting lives and property while maintaining peace and public order throughout Osun State. With the governorship election concluded and the state entering a period of post-election transition, the police reiterated their determination to respond firmly and swiftly to any developments capable of threatening the security gains achieved during the election period, while urging all political stakeholders to channel their grievances through appropriate legal and constitutional means rather than resorting to force.
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