Osun Speaker Accuses Police Commissioner Of Ordering ‘Shoot-On-Sight’ At Local Govt Secretariats | Sahara Reporters

The Speaker warned that political disagreements or security concerns could not justify the killing of innocent citizens, stressing that the police were established to protect lives and property.

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, has accused the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, CP Ibrahim Gotan, of directing police officers to adopt a “shoot-on-sight” policy against persons found within local government council premises in the state.

Egbedun raised the alarm in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu, on Tuesday, describing the alleged directive, as “deeply alarming and completely unacceptable in a democratic society.”

The Speaker warned that political disagreements or security concerns could not justify the killing of innocent citizens, stressing that the police were established to protect lives and property.

“Osun State is historically known as a peaceful state. We cannot allow our state to become a theatre of bloodshed because of political disagreements,” the Speaker said.

“The police are established to protect lives and property, not to take lives. Any directive that encourages officers to shoot citizens without due process is a grave threat to democracy and the rule of law.”

According to him, the alleged order to shoot persons found within local government council premises raises serious concerns over the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights and the conduct of security personnel in the state.

Egbedun recalled that there had previously been public allegations concerning the existence of a “killer squad” within the police establishment, allegations which the Inspector-General of Police subsequently denied.

However, he said the denial had not eliminated concerns arising from what he described as a “disturbing pattern of allegations” involving forceful invasions of citizens’ homes, arbitrary arrests and shootings by security personnel in Osun State.

The Speaker called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the allegations, saying that continued reports of alleged police shootings and unlawful operations against citizens required the attention of the appropriate authorities.

He also questioned the alleged use of police personnel to protect members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whom he described as thugs, and to intimidate citizens, particularly in the period preceding the last governorship election in the state.

“The Nigeria Police Force must not become an instrument for political intimidation. Police officers must serve the Constitution and the Nigerian people, not political interests. If there are genuine security concerns at any Local Government Council, the police must act within the law,” he said.

“There is no circumstance in which an innocent citizen should be summarily executed simply for being present at a public institution.”

Egbedun stressed that the Constitution and laws of Nigeria protect the fundamental right to life, adding that law-enforcement agencies have a responsibility to uphold those rights.

He therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately investigate the alleged directive attributed to CP Gotan and publicly clarify the operational orders issued to police formations across Osun State.

The Speaker further urged citizens, civil society organisations, the media and human-rights bodies to remain vigilant and document any alleged violation of citizens’ rights.

“Let me be absolutely clear: Osun people must not be killed. If any Osun citizen loses his or her life as a result of an unlawful police action or an alleged shoot-at-sight order, I will personally pursue every lawful avenue available to me to demand accountability, including appropriate international human-rights mechanisms where necessary. Those responsible must answer for their actions, regardless of their position,” the Speaker warned.

Egbedun called on the police leadership to immediately de-escalate tensions, respect due process and ensure that every police operation in Osun State was conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

He concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Osun State House of Assembly to the protection of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

The Speaker stressed that “no political contest is worth the life of a single Osun citizen.”

This development comes two days after Ademola Adeleke of Accord Party was declared winner of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

The Osun local government crisis stems from a prolonged battle between APC and Accord, formerly PDP-aligned factions over control of council secretariats.

APC candidates won the October 2022 local government elections under Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

When Ademola Adeleke assumed office in November 2022, then a member of the PDP, he dissolved the APC-led councils, citing a court judgment that nullified the election.

Adeleke’s government conducted fresh LG elections in February 2025, with PDP candidates sweeping all seats.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal reinstated the APC officials, creating a dual-claim situation: APC officials backed by federal rulings vs. Adeleke’s PDP/Accord officials backed by state authority.

Consequently, the Federal Government withheld Osun’s LG allocations, arguing funds should only go to elected officials. The Supreme Court later ruled that while Osun’s AG lacked standing to sue, the FG was wrong to seize the funds.

Secretariats across Osun were locked down, with both factions claiming legitimacy. This led to shutdown of council offices and denial of access to allocations.

Adeleke, who defected from PDP to Accord in 2026, insists his elected chairmen are legitimate, and his allies have attempted to physically reclaim secretariats after his re-election.

APC maintains that its officials, reinstated by the courts, are the lawful custodians of the councils. They accuse Accord of using thugs and federal hostility to block them.