Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has formally received the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, seizing the opportunity to present a sweeping five-point demand for police reforms, including the immediate release of Accord Party members he described as "political detainees" and an end to what he termed politically motivated arrests. The meeting, which took place on Monday, August 24, 2026, at the Government House in Osogbo, marked Zungura's first official engagement with the state government since assuming duty. It comes against the backdrop of strained relations between the Adeleke administration and the police command during the build-up to and aftermath of the August 15 governorship election, which Adeleke won for a second term.
Zungura's deployment to Osun followed the transfer of the former substantive Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, amid widespread concerns over the neutrality of the command ahead of the governorship election. The new CP, who arrived in the state on Monday, paid a courtesy visit to the governor alongside senior officers of the command, where he pledged to work with the state government to restore peace and public confidence in the police. Speaking during the meeting, Zungura assured the governor that his administration of the command would be impartial and focused on resolving security challenges across the state. "I promise to work with the state government for peace and stability of the state. I will be fair to all, and I will prove my commitment in the next few weeks. Osun is a peaceful state, and we will work to address all outstanding issues," he said.
However, Adeleke was unequivocal in his assessment of the security situation, stating that post-election peace had yet to be fully restored and tasking the new CP with rebuilding public trust in the police command. The governor referred specifically to a recent police operation in Ikire, where two people were reportedly killed, and alleged that the Divisional Police Officer in the area had been implicated in the incident. "Based on all details of the attacks, I request immediate commencement of disciplinary action against the DPO. He has become a threat to the people he was posted to protect," Adeleke declared. He further alleged that certain police units had been compromised and were perceived as partisan, calling for their dissolution. "I know you will be worried that Osun people see certain police units as the home base of APC thugs. There is a need to dissolve many police operational units because they have been compromised," he said.
Presenting five key demands, Adeleke outlined a comprehensive reform agenda for the new police commissioner. First, he urged Zungura to rebuild public trust by ensuring that officers operate professionally, impartially, and in a people-oriented manner. Second, he called for closer cooperation between the state government and the police command, stressing that his administration was seeking "no favour other than fair policing". Third, he demanded a reorganisation of the command's internal operations to address units he alleged had been compromised or perceived as partisan. Fourth, he requested full police participation in State Security Council meetings, alleging that the former commissioner had last attended such a meeting in 2024. His fifth and final demand was for the release of Accord Party members he described as political detainees and an end to further arrests of members of the party on political grounds. "I also call for the release of several Accord members arrested and indeterminate as political detainees. Further arrests of our members should also stop," Adeleke said.
The governor's demand for the release of political detainees follows a pattern of allegations by the Adeleke administration against the police command. In the build-up to the August 15 election, the Imole Campaign Council of the governor demanded the release of 86 Accord Party members allegedly arrested by the police. The campaign council had also accused the then Osun Commissioner of Police of partisanship and bias. More recently, a court ordered the release of 16 Accord members and granted unconditional bail to a House of Representatives candidate who had been detained for 26 days.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Adeleke assured the new police leadership of his administration's willingness to support the command, but stressed that such support would not come with political conditions. "Our government is ready to support police operations without any strings attached. What we seek is fair policing," he said. The governor also extended an olive branch to all stakeholders, declaring that his administration was committed to healing the state and rebuilding public trust. "Osun deserves peace. Osun deserves justice. Osun deserves a police command that enjoys the confidence of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation," he said.
In addition to the police reforms, Adeleke inaugurated a 10-member Committee on Election Violence Victims to verify claims by persons affected by election-related violence and oversee the disbursement of the N500 million Election Violence Victims Relief Endowment Fund. The committee, chaired by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, is mandated to receive and verify petitions, claims and supporting evidence from victims, determine eligible claimants and recommend appropriate relief. The committee includes representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and officials of the state Ministries of Information and Justice.
As the new police commissioner begins his tenure, the people of Osun State will be watching closely to see whether Zungura can deliver on his promise of impartial policing and whether the five-point demands of the governor will translate into tangible reforms. The strained relationship between the Adeleke administration and the police command has been a recurring feature of the state's political landscape, and the new CP faces the formidable challenge of restoring public confidence in an institution that many residents view with suspicion. For now, Adeleke's message is clear: the era of partisan policing in Osun must end, and those who have been detained on political grounds must be released.
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