NEWS UPDATE
A Senator of the federal Republic of Nigeria, Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has threatened that any member of the Accord Party seen in Ilesa before the Saturday August 15 Osun state governorship election would be killed.
Fadahunsi made the statement on Tuesday while addressing supporters and other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adesuyi Haastrup.
The senator was at the palace with other APC chieftains to protest what they described as the continued killing of APC members in Ijesaland.
Speaking in Yoruba in a video circulating online, Fadahunsi said: “How many people have you seen the APC kill? We are here to tell you that until the day of the election, if we see any Accord member in Ilesa, we will kill him.”
The threat comes amid heightened tension in Ilesa following a violent clash around the Imo area of the town on Monday evening, in which three people were reportedly killed.
While sources within the community told the media that the clash involved supporters of the APC and Accord Party, the Osun State Police Command said the incident was a cult-related clash involving suspected members of the Aiye and Eiye confraternities.
In a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the police said the clash occurred at about 8 p.m. on Monday.
The command said three persons, identified as Idowu, Yinka and Eja, whose identities were yet to be fully established, were reportedly shot dead.
Four expended cartridges and two Android mobile phones were recovered from the scene, according to the police, while preliminary investigations had commenced.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election, CP Samuel Erale Etaifo, was said to have directed operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit to move to the area to prevent further escalation, apprehend those responsible and restore calm.
The police also directed VCRU operatives and other tactical teams to intensify patrols, surveillance and intelligence-led operations in Ilesa and adjoining areas, particularly at identified flashpoints, to prevent reprisal attacks.
The command warned rival cult groups and other criminal elements against exploiting the incident to cause further violence.
It said anyone found engaging in cult-related violence, reprisal attacks, unlawful possession of firearms or other criminal activities would be arrested and prosecuted.
The police further appealed to residents of Ilesa to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and report suspicious movements or activities to the authorities.
Fadahunsi’s threat comes four days to the governorship election, with security concerns mounting in parts of Osun State over possible political violence before, during and after the poll.
Video here…