Osun residents hide party colors amid cult-fuelled killings

A palpable sense of fear grips Osun State as the August 15 governorship election approaches, with residents and even political figures reportedly shunning party colors and insignia amidst a surge of politically motivated killings. The Nigeria Police Force has recorded at least 30 such fatalities, creating an atmosphere where openly identifying with a political party is perceived as a significant security risk.

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There is tension and people are currently afraid because of the violence here and there, and because of what the security agencies are doing, especially the police. People have lost confidence in them.

The election is shaping up to be a close contest between the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Party. In response to the escalating violence, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu announced an unprecedented deployment of at least four police officers per polling unit, describing it as one of the largest security operations in the state's history.

Despite the increased security presence, anxiety persists in many parts of Osun. Residents remain wary of being mistaken for supporters of rival parties, especially with the movement of security personnel and political convoys. Waheed Lawal, Chairman of the Osun State Civil Societies Coalition, noted the tense atmosphere and alleged a perceived bias among some security agencies. He suggested that certain political actors are intentionally fostering fear to suppress voter turnout, while calling for neutrality from law enforcement.

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Some of the violence is cult-related, but you can hardly differentiate between political and cult killings now because these cultists have integrated themselves into politics. Some belong to the ruling party, while others belong to the Accord Party.

Adding to the complexity, Lawal pointed out that some of the violence is linked to cult activities, making it difficult to distinguish between politically motivated and cult-related killings, as cultists have allegedly integrated themselves into political structures. Emmanuel Olowu, Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy, echoed concerns about the political tension, attributing it to the desperation of actors seeking power at any cost. He acknowledged that the removal of the former Commissioner of Police had contributed to the situation.

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The political actors are trying to create an atmosphere where people will be afraid to come out and vote, but people are now determined to vote.