TDThe Osun State Government has raised alarm over an alleged plot by the Inspector General of Police to deploy a special squad to target leaders of the Accord Party and top government officials ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday in Osogbo, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that the squad was created for a “decapitation operation” aimed at silencing opposition figures and political actors associated with the Accord Party.
According to the statement published via Osun State Government official website, the government claimed it had received “authentic intelligence” that the squad, allegedly led by CSP Moses Lahor, could arrive in the state at any moment to commence what it described as “commando-like arrests” of Accord officials.
The government further alleged that the operation was not intended for lawful investigation or prosecution, but could result in “summary executions” of targeted political figures.
The statement also accused the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun, Bola Oyebamiji, of allegedly holding several meetings with members of the squad and providing logistical support for the operation.
According to the allegations, the APC candidate allegedly supplied two Toyota 18-seater buses and a Sienna vehicle to facilitate the squad’s activities across the state.
The Osun government claimed the operation was being planned without the knowledge of the state Commissioner of Police.
It added that the alleged leader of the squad previously served in the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Osun State Police Command.
The statement referenced an earlier incident involving the officer, alleging he was once implicated in the shooting of a National Union of Road Transport Workers chieftain, Nurudeen Alowonle, during his time in Osun.
The government further alleged that the officer was transferred to Borno State following the incident before later being redeployed to the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police through the influence of unnamed APC leaders from Osun State.
The state government and Accord Party leadership appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the international community to intervene and prevent what they described as looming political violence and targeted attacks against opposition figures in the state.
“We hereby place an urgent appeal to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the international community to take note of the looming planned mass arrest and killings of key figures of Accord Party in Osun State,” the statement read.
The government also warned that residents of the state would resist any unlawful actions through legitimate means.
It, meanwhile, urging the Inspector General of Police to ensure that police personnel are not used for partisan political purposes ahead of the election.
The APC and the Nigeria Police Force had not officially responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
