Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has demanded economic sanctions and visa bans against opposition leaders in the state, accusing them of aiding and abetting political violence in the state ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.
Adeleke made the demand on Monday while receiving a delegation of the British government on a pre-election peace-building mission to Osun State.
The governor claimed that the named politicians were encouraging violence through their supporters, leading to killings and gun attacks across the state.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokeswoman, Olawale Rasheed, the governor has asked the international community to impose penalties on politicians and security officers who have been proven to promote or enable political violence.
While praising security officials for acting to quell the violence, Adeleke stressed that individuals who instigated assaults should be held accountable, regardless of political party.
The governor said, “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.”
According to the statement, Adeleke’s statements came as another Accord Party member was reportedly killed in Ijebu-Jesa, bringing the total number of Accord members allegedly killed since the start of the 2026 political campaigns to five, while 15 others were said to have sustained critical injuries in attacks allegedly carried out by suspected opposition thugs.
The governor encouraged security services to investigate and prosecute both criminals and putative supporters, claiming that publicly known remarks and actions by some opposition figures supported the request for international sanctions.
He said, “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.”
According to the statement, the British mission was led by senior political adviser Wale Adebajo, who stated that the visit was part of ongoing efforts to ensure peaceful, credible, and transparent elections in the state.
According to the statement, Adebajo assured the governor that the British government will continue to engage key stakeholders to ensure peaceful conduct before, during, and after the gubernatorial election on August 15.
Political tensions in Osun have risen in recent months, with the ruling Accord Party and the opposition exchanging allegations about claimed attacks, intimidation, and violent occurrences.
