#OsunDecides2026: Osun Speaker alleges military attacks in Odo Otin, calls for international scrutiny

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has called on the international community to intervene over what he described as attacks, intimidation and threats against citizens and political actors in Odo Otin Local Government Area in the past 48 hours, in an address delivered as rival political camps trade separate allegations of violence just two days to Saturday’s governorship election.

In the address, delivered to diplomatic missions, international human rights organisations and members of the press, Egbedun alleged that armed military personnel posted to Odo Otin and led by one Sikiru Adeboye had been moving through communities in the area, targeting leaders and members of the Accord political platform.

Among the incidents he cited was an alleged invasion of the residence of Alhaja Popoola Kuburat Ijadunola, popularly known as Mama Mi Leko, an elder sister of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Egbedun said two of her children were taken away during the incident.

He also alleged attacks on Ayanyemi Joshua Olawale (Lawesco), Fasola Femi (Odofin) and Ajimoti Rasheed Omotayo (Action), during which gunshots were fired and a dog belonging to Ajimoti was killed.

Egbedun further alleged that three armed men who confessed to working for Francis Eniade, the All Progressives Congress candidate for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, had been released from custody after being arrested with two pump-action firearms in an incident in Okuku.

He said the men had been personally handed over to the Director of the Department of State Services for investigation.

The Speaker said he was also concerned about what he described as an attempt to intimidate him from making public a video containing the men’s confessional statements, and accused Eniade of making threats against him in a separate video that had circulated widely on social media.

“I can not be intimidated for demanding for the truth to be established. If anyone has committed an offence, let that person face the law,” Egbedun said.

He called on the Federal Government, the DSS, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army to investigate the allegations and make their findings public, and urged the National Human Rights Commission, civil society groups, election observers and diplomatic missions to independently monitor developments in Osun State.

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“Democracy cannot survive where citizens are intimidated into silence,” he said, adding that his appeal was not for the international community to take sides but “to stand on the side of truth, human rights, constitutional democracy and the rule of law.”

The address comes against a backdrop of competing allegations from the APC camp. A video circulated online on Wednesday, reportedly showing Egbedun involved in a confrontation with Eniade in Okuku, with the APC candidate said to have sustained injuries and a photograph showing him bloodied circulating on social media; the circumstances of the incident had not been independently verified as of the time outlets reported it, and neither the Osun Police Command nor Egbedun had issued an official statement addressing it.

The Osun APC subsequently called for Egbedun’s arrest, alleging he was involved in the attack on Eniade, and separately alleged that suspected Accord Party thugs shot dead Dele Ayegbo, described as a nephew of the party’s campaign director-general, at a road junction in the Idofin area of Esa-Oke on Wednesday night.

The tension follows an earlier controversy involving Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East and was invited by police over a viral video in which he was quoted telling APC members that “anyone who is not an APC member should not come out on election day” and warning that “Accord Party can’t vote in Odo-Otin.”

Governor Ademola Adeleke had demanded Fadahunsi’s arrest over the remarks, saying they could incite mass killing. Egbedun had already petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over both Fadahunsi and Eniade before this week’s escalation.