Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for visa bans and international sanctions against opposition politicians and security officials allegedly involved in sponsoring political violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke made the appeal on Monday while receiving a delegation from the British Government on a pre-election peace-building mission to Osun State.
The governor accused opposition leaders of encouraging violence through their supporters, alleging that the attacks have resulted in killings and gun violence across the state as the election approaches.
According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke urged the international community to impose sanctions on politicians and security officials found to be sponsoring or enabling political violence.
While commending security chiefs for their efforts to curb the violence, the governor maintained that those responsible for instigating attacks must be held accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
Adeleke reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on violence, stressing that no one should be above the law.
“I have zero tolerance for violence. I have told the Inspector General of Police that if my son is involved, he should be arrested.
“I told the world we harbour no thugs anywhere and the police can and should arrest any suspect. There must be strict law enforcement,” the governor said.
The governor’s remarks followed the reported killing of another Accord Party member in Ijebu-Jesa. According to the statement, the latest incident brings the number of Accord Party members allegedly killed since the commencement of the 2026 governorship campaign to five, while 15 others have reportedly sustained critical injuries in attacks allegedly carried out by suspected opposition thugs.
Adeleke called on security agencies to investigate the attacks thoroughly and prosecute both the perpetrators and their alleged sponsors.
He argued that the statements and actions of some opposition leaders justified the call for international sanctions, insisting that those promoting political violence must face consequences.
“I believe we must have a deterrent against those promoting political violence. We seek a visa ban against politicians sponsoring killings and violent attacks. We advocate for similar sanctions against security chiefs aiding and abetting such anti-democratic activities.
“Election is not about bloodshed. Osun deserves the peace and freedom to make their choice about who governs them. There must be consequences for those deliberately endangering the lives of our people for selfish political gains,” Adeleke stated.
