A group of civil society organizations, called the Network of Osun Civil Society Groups, protested in Osogbo, the state capital, on Monday. They want the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, to be redeployed due to claims of political bias.
This protest comes just two months before the state's off-cycle governorship election, which is set for 15 August.
The protesters asked for the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to step in. They accused the police commissioner of actions that they believe could harm the neutrality of his work, especially as political activities heat up ahead of the upcoming election.
In a live video seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the protesters carried placards and banners while marching through the main streets of Osogbo. They also threatened to submit a petition to the relevant authorities, demanding the immediate redeployment of the police commissioner.
The groups claimed that recent actions and decisions by the police in Osun raised questions about their fairness in handling important issues in the state.
During the protest, the coalition's secretary, Success Oluomo, explained that they want the commissioner moved to maintain public trust and fairness.
"Our protest for his redeployment is because we have seen him as someone who is partisan, and we as civil society actors are not ready to support anybody who is partisan or who appears to be supporting one political party," Mr Oluomo said.
The protest comes at a time when tensions are rising between the Osun State Government and the police over the police's handling of various security issues.
Last Monday, 8 June, the Osun State Government warned the police against what they called potential political interference in a case linked to suspected banditry in Ifon-Orolu.
In a statement from the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the state government claimed that unknown political figures tried to sway police actions regarding the arrested suspect.
The government also raised concerns about reports that the suspect was undergoing psychiatric evaluation. They urged the police to clarify the medical assessment and other details of the investigation.
During the protest, some participants said the police had not done enough regarding a recent incident of violence linked to politics that left three people injured.
Oloyin Mohammed, the Executive Director of Socioeconomic and Civic Rights Advocacy, spoke at the protest. He criticized the police for not acting despite having video and photographic proof.
"These are actions that could be interpreted as political influence. If these concerns are not addressed, there could be voter apathy on election day, which may ultimately disenfranchise many citizens. We call on the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy the state Commissioner of Police to another state," Mr Mohammed said.
The Osun State Police Command had not responded to the protest and allegations by the time this report was filed. When PREMIUM TIMES reached out for comments, Mr Gotan answered briefly but said, "I will call you back" after understanding the inquiry. Subsequent calls to him were not answered.
Governor Adeleke is aiming for a second term in the upcoming election on 15 August. He is up against 13 other candidates, including Bola Oyebamiji from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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