Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has demanded fair and impartial policing from the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, as the state government moves to restore public confidence following the tensions that trailed the recent governorship election.
The governor made the demand on Monday when Mr Zungura paid him a courtesy visit after assuming office as the new police commissioner. Governor Adeleke also inaugurated a 10-member committee to receive and verify claims from victims of election-related violence and oversee the disbursement of a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Relief Endowment Fund.
Governor Adeleke urged the new police chief to reorganise the command, strengthen police-community relations and address what he described as conduct that had created the perception of partisanship within the police.
He said the state government was ready to support the new police leadership, but stressed that such support would come without strings attached.
“I therefore have specific requests as part of our efforts to consolidate peace and state reconciliation: Let us rebuild public trust in the police. You must make deliberate efforts to remove many areas of current police conduct that paint it as partisan and anti-people,” Mr Adeleke said.
The governor also demanded disciplinary action against the Ikire Divisional Police Officer over a recent police operation in the area which resulted in two deaths.
He described the officer as a threat to the people he was deployed to protect.
Governor seeks release of detained Accord members
Mr Adeleke further called for the release of members of the Accord Party whom he described as political detainees.
He also urged the police to stop further arrests of his supporters and called for the full participation of the command in meetings of the state security council.
The demands come against the backdrop of concerns over political tensions and alleged security excesses surrounding the recent Osun governorship election.
New CP promises neutrality
Responding to the governor, Mr Zungura pledged to rebuild confidence in the police and ensure that law enforcement remained impartial.
“I promise to work with the state government for peace and stability of the state. I will be fair to all, and I will prove my commitment in the next few weeks. Osun is a peaceful state, and we will work to address all outstanding issues,” he said.
Mr Zungura replaced the immediate past Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan.
Osun opens petition window for election violence victims
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke inaugurated a 10-member Election Violence Victims Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun.
The committee is responsible for receiving and verifying petitions, claims and supporting evidence submitted by people affected by election-related violence.
It will determine eligible beneficiaries and recommend appropriate relief in line with guidelines approved by the state government.
The government urged victims with genuine claims to submit relevant evidence to enable the committee to conduct a transparent verification process.
₦500m relief fund to be transparently administered
The committee will oversee the disbursement of the ₦500 million relief fund established by the Osun State Government.
Officials said the money would be administered strictly for verified victims, with the committee expected to establish the authenticity of claims before recommending beneficiaries.
The committee includes representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, alongside officials from the state Ministries of Information and Justice.
Other members include Mrs Eniola Omotoso, Mr Emmanuel Olowu, Alhaja Balkiss Akinleye, Alhaji Moshood Suleiman, Mr Moses Faremi, Mr Yemi Lawal and Mr Sola Sonibare, who serves as secretary.
The new measures are aimed at addressing two immediate concerns: public confidence in policing and support for people affected by electoral violence.
For residents, the petition window provides a formal channel through which victims can present claims and seek assistance, while the new police leadership is being asked to demonstrate neutrality and professionalism.
The effectiveness of the measures will depend largely on how transparently victims’ claims are verified, how the ₦500 million fund is distributed and whether the police can rebuild confidence across political divides.
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