Insecurity in Osun: Residents Plead for Urgent Security Intervention

Residents of Osun State have appealed to security agencies to urgently put an end to the wave of violent killings occurring across the state.

Several residents described reports of killings before and after the August 15 governorship election as increasingly worrisome, specifically citing the recent killing of one Ajagungbade Emir in Ile-Ife, and urging security agencies to restore peace by ensuring the safety of lives and property.

Traditional Rulers Call for Restraint, Justice

The Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, called on security agencies to strengthen efforts toward preventing further bloodshed and maintaining peace across the state. In an interview, he also urged the government to provide adequate support and resources to security personnel to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

Oba Adediwura, who serves as second-in-command to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called on security agencies to ensure that anyone found culpable in criminal activities is arrested and prosecuted according to the law. He also urged caution among individuals who might attempt to interfere with security operations, suggesting that anyone who steps forward to secure bail for suspects should themselves be investigated. "Election is over; Ile-Ife is not a battlefield. Everybody should embrace peace and allow the people to live together as one," he said.

Similarly, Ile-Ife High Chief Adeyeye Adekola urged residents and visitors to avoid actions capable of causing tension or disrupting the peace of the state, appealing to the people of Osun — particularly Ile-Ife — to refrain from turning the town into a battleground, and noting that the state remains a home for peaceful coexistence.

The Lowa Adimula further urged youths to resist being used as instruments of unrest, stressing that the security of lives and property remains the collective responsibility of residents, traditional institutions, and government. He admonished security agencies to remain proactive and ensure perpetrators of violence are brought to justice, in order to sustain peace in Ile-Ife and the wider state.

Residents Call for Shared Responsibility, Community Policing

Resident Mr Idowu Ige urged security agencies to guarantee the safety of lives and property and put an end to the killings in the state. He also called on fellow residents to support the police by reporting activities that could threaten the peace, stressing that security is a shared responsibility that must not be left solely to security agencies. Ige further advocated for stronger community policing initiatives, supported by the police, to help prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Similarly, Mrs Eunice Afolabi, a resident of Dada Estate in Osogbo, appealed to the police to adopt a more proactive approach to security and maintain a stronger presence in crime-prone areas. She advocated intensified public campaigns on safety and security, and identified political thuggery as a major factor worsening insecurity and contributing to the loss of lives and property in the state.

Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Ojeyinka, a resident of Igbonna in Osogbo, called on stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with security agencies to prevent crime, while appealing to the media to support the fight against crime through public jingles and responsible reporting.

Police Commissioner Orders Intensified Security Measures

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Osun, Mr Ibrahim Zungura, has directed Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to intensify efforts toward ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed this in an interview in Osogbo. According to Ojelabi, the commissioner has urged senior officers within the command to remain proactive and strengthen security measures within their respective areas of responsibility. Zungura also directed the command's intelligence unit to intensify efforts at gathering and analysing intelligence capable of preventing crimes before they occur, noting that timely and actionable intelligence would enable the police to identify potential threats and act before incidents unfold.

Zungura additionally announced the launch of the Safe School Initiative, designed to strengthen security around schools and create a safer environment for pupils, students, teachers, and other members of the school community. He assured residents that the command would continue to strengthen its security operations and would not relent in its efforts to protect lives and property, while calling on residents to support the police by providing credible and timely information that could help prevent crime and maintain peace in their communities.