The Imole Campaign Council has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), accusing the police of intimidating and unlawfully detaining its members ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
According to the council, one of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s supporters, Popoola Alabama, was arrested while campaigning for the governor and has remained in custody without being formally charged.
Speaking on Tuesday, the council’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, described the arrest as unlawful and alleged that security agencies were targeting supporters of the governor for political reasons.
He said the legal team visited the police to ascertain the basis of Mr Alabama’s arrest but was informed that no incriminating item was recovered from him at the time of his arrest.
Olajengbesi questioned why the supporter was still being detained despite the absence of charges, challenging the police to publicly present any firearms or other evidence allegedly linked to him if such existed.
He urged the National Human Rights Commission to investigate what he described as a pattern of rights violations in Osun State, insisting that citizens should not be subjected to intimidation simply because elections are approaching.
The campaign council also called on the Inspector-General of Police to reassure residents that the August 15 governorship election would be conducted peacefully and fairly, expressing concern over the conduct of security personnel in the state.
In addition, the council appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ensure that law enforcement agencies remain neutral throughout the electoral process and are not used to suppress political opponents.
The petition further alleged that members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had harassed state-appointed officials in a bid to take control of motor parks across Osun.
The council also referenced the recent arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, and five others after police raided his residence over allegations of vote-buying. Although Mr Igbalaye was later released, the police said officers recovered a Dynabook laptop, N4.8 million in cash, a printer, a photocopying machine, two voter cards and a voter register covering Wards 1 to 15 in Osogbo Local Government Area.