British High Commission, EU Probe Political Killings in Osun Ahead of Governorship Election
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
The British High Commission and the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria have reportedly commenced investigations into the recent wave of political killings in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election, following concerns raised by civil society organisations and diplomatic engagements over the security situation.
Sources familiar with the development said Western diplomatic missions have activated internal processes to verify reports of the killings, identify those allegedly responsible and determine whether sanctions, including visa restrictions, should be imposed on individuals found culpable.
The development was said to have gained momentum after the Osun Civil Society Coalition submitted petitions detailing a series of killings allegedly involving members of the Accord Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the petitioners, the submissions also revisited the killing of an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Remi Abbas, describing it as the only publicly reported APC casualty during the controversial takeover of local government secretariats in the state.
The coalition alleged that while the police launched an investigation into Abbas’ death, six PDP and Accord supporters reportedly killed during the same period did not receive similar investigative attention.
The petitioners further argued that the current wave of political violence differs from the clashes recorded in 2022, maintaining that although both political blocs suffered casualties during the earlier crisis, law enforcement agencies had allegedly handled investigations in a selective manner.
They also submitted the names of Accord members said to have been killed or injured in the last two months, warning that the violence could undermine the credibility and peaceful conduct of the August 15 governorship election.
Sources said the petitions prompted officials of the European Union Delegation and representatives of the British High Commission to visit Osun State as part of efforts to assess the situation.
Last Sunday, the Osun State Government announced that the European Union Election Observer Mission would monitor the forthcoming governorship election in line with its commitment to promoting credible democratic processes.
During a courtesy visit to Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Government House, Osogbo, Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Peter Guschelbauer, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections.
According to him, “the European Union hopes to see the Osun governorship election conducted in full compliance with Nigeria’s electoral laws,” noting that the poll is widely regarded as a precursor to the 2027 general elections.
A delegation from the British High Commission also visited the state on Monday, further drawing international attention to the political atmosphere in Osun.
Sources further claimed that the European Union Delegation, working alongside the political department of the United States Department of State, had resolved to closely monitor developments and investigate the reported political killings in the state.
The reported investigations followed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s appeal to the international community to impose visa bans and economic sanctions on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and other APC leaders over their alleged roles in political violence ahead of the election.
While receiving a British government delegation in Osogbo, Adeleke alleged that Oyetola, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji, the party’s campaign Director-General, Hon. Wole Oke, and other APC leaders were encouraging violence that had claimed lives and heightened political tension across the state.
The governor also declared that anyone found responsible for the violence should be arrested and prosecuted, saying, “I will not object to the arrest of anyone found culpable, even if it were to be my son.”
Responding to the allegations, APC governorship candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, dismissed Adeleke’s call for sanctions, describing the claims as “spurious, unfounded and a joke of the century.”
Meanwhile, concerns over political violence intensified following the reported killing of a young man, Abiodun Saburi Kabiru, in Ikire on Monday evening.
According to eyewitness accounts, Kabiru was allegedly chased by suspected APC thugs from the vicinity of the Irewole Local Government Secretariat before he was reportedly shot near a residential building close to the secretariat.
The latest incident has further heightened concerns among civil society groups, election observers and members of the international community over security ahead of the August 15 governorship election.