Osun Police Command Threatens Severe Sanctions Over LG Secretariat Takeover Bids

• Osun Police Commissioner Samuel Etaifo has warned that no individual or political group should attempt to forcefully occupy any local government secretariat while the leadership dispute remains before the courts.

• The command says anyone who invades council secretariats or attempts to seize control of local government administration will be arrested and prosecuted for breaching public peace.

• The warning follows intelligence reports of alleged plans by some groups to take over council secretariats after Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory.

• The police insist only the courts can determine the legitimate occupants of the councils, urging political actors to abandon self-help and allow due process to prevail.

August 17, () — The Osun Police Command has warned political groups and their supporters against any attempt to forcefully take over local government secretariats across the state, declaring that anyone found invading or occupying council premises will face arrest and prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Osun governorship election, Samuel Etaifo, issued the warning in a statement on Monday, saying intelligence reports available to the command indicated that some individuals and groups were allegedly planning to forcefully assume control of local government secretariats despite the matter remaining before the courts.

Etaifo stressed that the police would not tolerate any action capable of disrupting public peace or undermining the judicial process.

He maintained that no political party, association or individual has the legal authority to resort to self-help while litigation over the control of the councils is still pending.

“No individual, political group, or association has the right to resort to self-help or the use of force to assume control of any local government area or public institution while judicial proceedings are ongoing”, the commissioner said.

He warned that any attempt to invade or disrupt activities at local government facilities would be treated as a serious breach of the peace.

“Any attempt to forcibly occupy or disrupt local government facilities will be viewed as a serious breach of the peace and dealt with decisively in accordance with the law, including arrest and prosecution of persons found culpable”, Etaifo added.

The police commissioner appealed to all political stakeholders to exercise restraint and allow the courts to determine the matter in accordance with the law. He also called on parents, traditional rulers, community leaders, political leaders and youth groups to prevail on their supporters against actions capable of threatening the state’s peace and security.

Etaifo reassured residents that the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to protecting lives and property while maintaining law and order throughout Osun.

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The LG Crisis Behind The Police Warning

The latest warning comes amid renewed tension over the control of Osun’s 30 local government councils following Saturday’s governorship election.

The crisis dates back to the October 15, 2022 local government election, won by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Adeleke administration subsequently challenged the legality of that election, leading to prolonged litigation and conflicting judicial interpretations over the status of the elected chairmen.

Following those legal disputes, APC-elected local government chairmen currently remain in occupation of many council secretariats, insisting that court decisions restored their tenure pending the final determination of the case.

On the other hand, chairmen elected in the February 22, 2025 local government election under the Adeleke administration maintain that they are the lawful occupants of the councils, arguing that subsequent court judgements validated their election and extinguished the APC chairmen’s claims.

The disagreement has produced competing interpretations of court rulings, with both camps insisting they possess the legal mandate to administer the councils.

Security agencies fear that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in Saturday’s governorship election could embolden supporters of the Accord Party and the 2025 council chairmen to attempt to reclaim council secretariats from the APC officials currently occupying them. Reports on Monday indicated alleged attempts by party supporters to move towards some council secretariats, heightening concerns over possible clashes.

Etaifo emphasised that neither political victory nor party affiliation confers the right to seize government property. He warned that the police would decisively prevent any individual or group from using force to alter the current situation.

The commissioner urged all parties to remain law-abiding, stressing that only the judiciary has the constitutional authority to determine the legitimate leadership of the councils.

He assured residents that security personnel would continue to monitor all local government secretariats and other public facilities to forestall any breakdown of law and order.