By Comrade James Onifade
Political violence in Osun State has become a stain on our collective conscience. How many more citizens must fall to gunfire before those charged with our safety act without fear or favour?
The killings and injuries recorded in recent weeks should compel every leader and security officer in the state to act decisively. Between May and June 2026 alone, lives were cut short in attacks widely believed to be politically motivated, with several linked to political thugs.
These are not statistics. They are sons, fathers, and neighbours whose deaths demand justice.
The trend is clear: firearms are now tools for settling political scores and spreading fear. If this continues, communities will turn on one another.
The Osun State Police Command must intervene with fairness, professionalism, and zero bias. Selective enforcement or hesitation will embolden perpetrators and erode public trust.
Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Gotan, must provide the leadership his office requires. If he cannot guarantee impartial policing and contain this security crisis, he should step aside for an officer who can restore confidence and order.
Residents of Ilobu, Esa-Oke, Ikire, and surrounding areas now live in fear. Political violence is indiscriminate. Today it claims one life. Tomorrow it could be anyone’s child, sibling, or neighbour.
The era of condolence statements and vague assurances must end. Osun people demand concrete action: transparent investigations, swift arrests of culprits, intensified patrols in flashpoints, and an unwavering commitment to impartial justice. Anything less tells criminals they can act with impunity under political cover.
Political disagreement should never be settled with bullets. This culture of violence must be uprooted now, before it escalates beyond control.
The Osun Police Command bears the primary duty to protect lives and property. Failure to act decisively and neutrally will weaken public trust and invite further breakdown of law and order.
Enough is enough. The blood of the innocent must not become normal in Osun. The authorities must act today, not after another life is lost.
The people are watching. History will judge whether we chose peace through justice, or allowed violence to win through inaction.
The responsibility lies squarely with the Osun Police Command. Act now.
Signed:
Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and Judicial Reform
