Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has accused the State Police Command of selective policing and targeting its members ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The party’s position follows the police dismissal of allegations by the Imole Campaign Council that it had compiled a list of political figures for arrest before the governorship poll. 

In a statement signed by the Osun Accord Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, the party rejected the police’s explanation for recent raids and arrests, alleging that security operations were being used to intimidate its leaders and members rather than tackle criminal activities.

According to the Accord, “the police had departed from their constitutional responsibility by allegedly focusing on members of the party while failing to act against individuals it claimed were linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The party alleged that individuals such as Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, and others allegedly connected to the APC had not been subjected to similar security operations despite facing criminal allegations. It further claimed that selective policing was undermining public confidence in the security agencies.

Referring to an incident in Ikire, Accord alleged that one of its members, Taofeeq Akinyemi, who was recently arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, had earlier been shot by an individual identified as Akinkunmi Alabi, also known as Ojuyobo. 

The party claimed Akinyemi survived after receiving medical treatment and questioned why the alleged attacker had not been arrested.

Akande said, “As a political party, we very much support any effort that will put criminals away so as to guarantee a peaceful and free poll, but we will not accept the subtle attempt by the Police to brand the membership of Accord as being criminal.”

The Accord chairman urged the police to review their operations, release what the party described as political detainees, including Akinyemi, and ensure that policing remained impartial throughout the election period.

The Osun State Police Command has also maintained that their operations are strictly aimed at combating crime across the state.

The command denied the existence of any such list and insisted that its operations were not politically motivated.

Responding to the allegations, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, reiterated that the command had not drawn up any list of politicians for arrest and was not targeting any political party.

Ojelabi said, “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. It is targeted at criminal hideouts. We don’t have any list anywhere; the police do not formulate any list.”

He added that the command would continue intelligence-led operations against criminal elements across the state and advised parents to discourage their children from late-night movements and association with individuals with criminal records. 

Ojelabi also noted that the proposed joint security task force announced by the state government had yet to commence operations.

Osun State Police Command has dismissed allegations by the Imole Campaign Council that it compiled a list of political figures for arrest ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The police also insisted that its operations are aimed solely at combating crime across the state.

The allegations were made on Sunday by The Imole Campaign Council, TICC, which is coordinating the re-election campaign of Governor Ademola Adeleke. 

The council claimed that the police had drawn up a list of 46 individuals, including a serving commissioner, for arrest before the election.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the Deputy Director-General of the campaign council, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that most of those listed were from Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area. 

He claimed that the Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, was among those allegedly marked for arrest.

Alimi also alleged that an Accord chieftain in Ikire, Taofeek Akinyemi, who was reportedly shot by hoodlums, was arrested and detained after reporting the incident to the police.

The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment further accused an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, of collaborating with political opponents to facilitate the alleged mass arrest of Accord members in Ikire as part of a plan to disrupt the party’s campaign activities.

He said, “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. 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 the 46 individuals listed for arrest included “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, among others.”

He demanded the immediate release of Akinyemi or his arraignment before a competent court. Alimi also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to direct the Osun State Police Command, the State Criminal Investigation Department and special squads from Abuja to halt what he described as arbitrary arrests and harassment of opposition leaders.

The campaign council additionally urged the Force Headquarters to review security deployments to Osun ahead of the election, insisting that only professional, neutral and impartial security personnel should be assigned to election duties.

Responding to the allegations, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun State Police Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, denied that the police had compiled any arrest list or were targeting members of any political party.

Ojelabi said, “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. It is targeted at criminal hideouts. We don’t have any list anywhere; the police do not formulate any list.”

He added that the command would continue intelligence-led operations against criminal elements, urging parents to discourage their children from late-night movements and association with individuals with criminal records. 

Ojelabi also noted that while the state government had proposed a joint security task force, the police had yet to see its implementation, saying such an arrangement would demonstrate that security operations were not being carried out by the police alone.

A coalition of Christian and human rights groups has petitioned United States President Donald Trump, the US Congress and diplomatic missions over the planned retention of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in Nigeria’s 2027 election.

 The groups, operating under the umbrella of the Christian Youth Alliance of Nigeria (CYAN), warned that the arrangement poses a serious threat to Christians across the country, particularly in Northern Nigeria. 

In a petition signed by its leaders and made available to journalists in Jos, Plateau State, the coalition urged the international community to pay closer attention to what it described as worsening insecurity affecting Christian communities. 

According to the group, “the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima could further deepen religious divisions and political exclusion”. 

CYAN argued that the 2023 presidential ticket departed from Nigeria’s long-standing tradition of balancing the country’s top political offices along religious lines. 

The coalition also criticized the Federal Government’s policy of rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant terrorists, insisting that individuals involved in acts of terrorism should face prosecution rather than government-supported reintegration programmes. 

The petition further urged the US government to maintain Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and to tie any future review of that status to independently verified improvements in the protection of Christian communities. 

The group called for transparent investigations into major attacks on Christian communities, including incidents in Plateau, Benue and other states, while demanding sustained humanitarian support for displaced victims. 

CYAN also requested an investigation into alleged foreign influence in Nigeria’s political process, claiming that some Arab countries may be supporting efforts to retain the Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 election. 

The coalition maintained that Nigeria’s religious diversity should be reflected in its political leadership and urged both local and international stakeholders to ensure fairness, inclusion and protection for all citizens regardless of faith.