Osun 2026: Adeleke's campaign organisation petitions human rights commission, seeks release of detained supporters

The campaign organisation of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking the unconditional release of the governor’s supporters allegedly arrested and detained by the police.

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The organisation, popularly known as the Imole Campaign Council, which is campaigning for the re-election of Mr Adeleke, submitted the petition at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

The campaign spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who spoke with journalists after the submission, accused the police in Osun State of intimidating the governor’s supporters ahead of the 15 August off-cycle governorship election.

Mr Olajengbesi alleged that several supporters of the governor had been arrested and unlawfully detained without justification, urging the NHRC to intervene to secure justice for the affected persons.

He specifically mentioned Popoola, Alabama, a supporter of the governor who is currently in police custody. Mr Alabama was arrested in the Ilesa area of the state in connection with alleged political violence.

Mr Olajengbesi said the organisation’s efforts to secure Mr Alabama’s release were unsuccessful because the police claimed he was being held for armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms

“We visited the police and asked for the exhibit with which he was arrested. We were informed that he was arrested while campaigning and that nothing was found on him, which is why he has not been charged in court.

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“If there are firearms found on Mr Alabama, let the police produce them before the public. You cannot arrest an innocent citizen, obtain a detention order and keep him in custody without any evidence or explanation,” he said.

The campaign spokesperson appealed to the NHRC to investigate the alleged unlawful detention of Mr Alabama and other supporters.

“We have come to the National Human Rights Commission to place before the commission the reckless abuse of human rights that is happening currently in Osun State just because elections are approaching,” he added.

The petition comes four days after the campaign council wrote to President Bola Tinubu, complaining that its supporters were being intimidated ahead of the election.

Political rivalry and violent clashes have intensified across Osun in recent weeks.

Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), believed to be aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently took over motor parks across the state, displacing officials installed by the state government.

The development sparked violent confrontations between rival groups, with several people, including passers-by, reportedly injured while fleeing the clashes.

A few days later, police operatives raided the Osogbo residence of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaye, arresting him and five others over alleged vote-buying.

The police said they recovered N4.8 million in cash, a Dynabook laptop, a photocopying machine, a printer, two voter cards and a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15 in Osogbo Local Government Area.

Mr Igbalaye was later released after the state government and the Osun House of Assembly intervened.

Last Friday, the police deployed a new Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, to oversee election security in the state. The deployment followed months of demands by the state government for the removal of the former commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, whom it accused of partisanship and of favouring one political party in handling election-related security issues.

These developments have heightened political tension, making the Osun governorship election one of the most closely watched contests in the South-west in recent years.

For decades, Osun politics has largely been dominated by two major parties. However, the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a viable third force has reshaped the political landscape ahead of the election.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cleared six political parties to participate in the election, the contest is expected to be between three leading candidates: Mr Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC and Najeem Salaam of the ADC.

The three camps are expected to dominate the race because of their established political structures, financial strength, grassroots mobilisation, elite endorsements and statewide visibility.

Call for police assurances

The campaign council also urged the NHRC to compel the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to publicly assure Nigerians that the election would be credible and that police personnel would remain impartial.

“We want the Inspector-General of Police to assure Nigerians and the people of Osun State that the coming election will be credible and that the police still have the capacity to provide security for the safety of the people of the state. We have every reason to be worried about the position of the Inspector-General of Police,” Mr Olajengbesi said.

The organisation also called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the police are not used to influence the election’s outcome.

“The President must not allow the Nigerian Police to become an instrument of oppression. All government institutions are under his control and must operate within the law.

“The national chairman of the APC should understand that we are in a democracy where elections are determined by the votes of the people. Whatever we do today will affect generations yet unborn,” he stated.