Amid fear of violence ahead of the governorship poll in Osun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, on Friday visited the state, disclosing that 20 people had been allegedly killed within a number of months.

 

Disu, who spoke at the headquarters of the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo, said preparations for an election should not be turned to war by political gladiators, assuring that effective security will be provided for the exercise.

 

The police boss said he had listened to the complaints from the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, and also visited Governor Ademola Adeleke.

 

Disu stated, “If my count is correct, if the record I have is correct, over 20 people have been killed within a number of months.” We are preparing for an election and not a war. I have a lot of reports against this party and that party.

 

“I have listened to the Commissioner of Police who even gave me a brief. He said some people he is looking for are kept in Government House. That is strange to me.

 

“Luckily for me, I mentioned this in the Governor’s office. And the Governor replied that even if I found his child committing a crime, I should arrest him. Luckily the Commissioner of Police was there, the AIG of the zone and other officers were there.

 

“Nobody will commit a crime and go scot-free. You can’t kill a person or anybody and think you can walk around freely. That is why I left Abuja to come here and talk with you today.

 

“This is an election we are preparing for war. We are going to campaign in an election we hold. We will campaign; we will provide security for you in an election we hold in this state.

 

“Those who are planning to kill, if they are here or they are here, let them know it is not going to be business as usual. Human life is sacred, and nobody has the right to take that life. And those who have committed, those other ones we mentioned, anywhere they are, the Commissioner of Police.

Like I mentioned, we will give you conducive environments to campaign when the time comes,”

 

Meanwhile, in a video of the IGP’s visit to Adeleke sighted by The Guardian, the governor emphasised he was concerned about the peace of the state, maintaining that he was not against the arrest of any criminal elements.

 

It is recalled that the The Imole Campaign Council (TICC), in charge of Adeleke’s re-election had pushed for the redeployment of Gotan over alleged bias and partisanship.