Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The British High Commission and the European Union Delegation to Nigeria have commenced investigations into the recent wave of political killings in Osun State ahead of the state's governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026, with diplomatic sources indicating that sanctions, including visa restrictions, are being considered against individuals found culpable. The investigations follow heightened tensions in the state and petitions submitted by civil society groups detailing a series of killings allegedly targeting members of the Accord Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, according to sources familiar with the development. The diplomatic missions have reportedly activated internal processes to verify reports of the killings and identify those allegedly responsible.
The development gained further momentum following petitions submitted by the Osun Civil Society Coalition, which detailed a series of killings allegedly targeting members of the Accord Party and the PDP. The petitions also revisited the killing of APC member Remi Abbas, describing it as the only reported incident involving an APC victim during what the coalition characterised as the forceful takeover of local government secretariats by the Osun APC. It was stated that the various aggrieved groups noted that although the police launched an investigation into Abbas's death, six PDP and Accord members were allegedly killed by "self-identifying APC thugs" during the same incident without similar investigative attention.
The coalition further argued that the current wave of violence differs from the political clashes witnessed in 2022, maintaining that while both the APC and the PDP/Accord allegedly lost nearly equal numbers of supporters during the 2022 violence, law enforcement authorities have reportedly handled investigations in a biased manner. Petitioners submitted the names and party affiliations of Accord members allegedly killed or injured over the past two months, warning that the violence poses a serious threat to the credibility and peaceful conduct of next month's governorship election. Sources told SaharaReporters that the petitions prompted officials of the European Union Delegation and members of the British High Commission to visit Osun State recently.
On Sunday, July 12, 2026, the Osun State Government announced that the European Union Election Observer Mission would monitor the forthcoming governorship election. The Austrian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Peter Guschelbauer, was quoted as saying during a courtesy visit to Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Government House in Osogbo that the European Union remained committed to strengthening democratic practices through free and fair elections. According to him, the European Union hopes to see the Osun governorship election conducted in full compliance with Nigeria's electoral laws, particularly as the poll is widely regarded as a precursor to the country's 2027 general elections. The British High Commission delegation was also reported to have visited the state on Monday, July 13, 2026.
The visits by the Austrian and British delegations have heightened international attention on the political situation in Osun. It was further gathered that the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, working alongside the political department of the United States Department of State, has resolved to closely monitor developments and investigate the political killings recorded in the state. The reported investigations come after Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, called on the international community to impose visa bans and economic sanctions on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and other top leaders of the APC in Osun State over their alleged roles in sponsoring political violence.
Governor Adeleke, while receiving a delegation of the British Government on a pre-election peace-building mission to Osun State, urged the international community to impose sanctions on politicians and security officials found to be sponsoring or enabling political violence. The governor's comments came amid another political killing of an Accord member at Ijebu-Jesa, making five Accord members killed and 15 critically wounded by suspected APC thugs since the commencement of the 2026 political campaigns. "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 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," Adeleke told the British team led by the Senior Political Advisor, Wale Adebajo.
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Adeleke of misleading the visiting British Government delegation over allegations of political violence. In a statement issued by the party's Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that the governor presented inaccurate information during the delegation's visit to the state. The opposition party alleged that Governor Adeleke had failed to disclose to the British delegation the alleged harbouring of wanted political thugs within the Government House. The APC also claimed that "more than 30 of our members and supporters were killed before the 2022 governorship election," adding that Governor Adeleke failed to mention those incidents during his engagement with the delegation. The party alleged that some aides of the governor were standing trial in connection with the killing of former Irewole Local Government Chairman, Remi Abass, and said the matter should have been brought to the attention of the visiting officials.
The APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, also called on the British High Commission and the international community to closely monitor the August 15 governorship election, citing concerns over alleged political violence and intimidation in the state. Speaking during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the British High Commission to the APC Campaign Office in Osogbo on Tuesday, Oyebamiji said international observation would help strengthen public confidence in the electoral process. He alleged that members and supporters of the APC had been subjected to politically motivated attacks since 2022, adding that the incidents had created anxiety ahead of the governorship election. According to him, "The Campaign Council is deeply concerned about the escalating atmosphere of political violence, intimidation and thuggery targeted at members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress by individuals associated with the Osun State Government and Governor Ademola Adeleke".
Oyebamiji stated that the party's records indicated that more than 40 APC members and supporters had allegedly been victims of politically related attacks across different parts of Osun State since 2022. The APC candidate listed several incidents, including the killings of party members and supporters in Osogbo, Ota Efun, Ilesa, Irewole and Otan Ayegbaju, as well as the alleged kidnapping and killing of an APC ward treasurer during the 2023 presidential campaign. He also alleged that some individuals linked to the incidents had either been declared wanted by the police or accused in connection with the attacks, while calling for all pending cases to be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law. Appealing to the British High Commission and other international observers, Oyebamiji said sustained election observation before, during and after the governorship poll would contribute to ensuring a credible, peaceful and transparent election in Osun State.
The British High Commission delegation had on Monday visited the Osun State Governor, who called for economic sanctions and visa bans against several political figures. The Senior Political Adviser, Wale Adebajo, who led the delegation, disclosed that the British team was in the state to engage stakeholders on building peace ahead the election. Adebajo told the governor the team was in the state as part of pre-election peace building efforts alongside other partners, assuring him that the British government supported peaceful and transparent electoral process. He assured him further that the diplomatic team would engage with all stakeholders to ensure peaceful environment for the August 15 polls while preaching the imperative of free and fair polls.
The reported investigations come amid growing international scrutiny of Nigeria's electoral processes, particularly as the Osun governorship election is widely regarded as a precursor to the country's 2027 general elections. The European Union Election Observer Mission's decision to monitor the election reflects longstanding concerns about political violence and electoral integrity in Nigeria. As the August 15 election approaches, the international community continues to urge all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, free and credible poll. The British High Commission and the European Union Delegation have yet to publicly announce the outcome of their investigations, but sources indicate that visa restrictions and other sanctions could be imposed on individuals found to have sponsored or enabled political violence in Osun State.
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