Reported Simon Daniel Yusuph l journalist at wengglobal
The Osun State Police Command has denied allegations that Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan directed officers to operate a “shoot-on-sight” policy against people found within local government council premises, challenging Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, to provide evidence supporting the claim.
The dispute has added another layer to the political and security tensions surrounding the control of local government secretariats in Osun State, coming just days after the August 15 governorship election and amid a prolonged legal and political disagreement over council administration.
The police said no such order was issued to officers under the command and described the allegation as false and malicious. The command also maintained that its personnel acted professionally and with restraint before, during and after the governorship election.
The development follows an allegation by Egbedun that the Osun Commissioner of Police directed officers to adopt a shoot-on-sight policy against individuals found at local government council premises across the state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu, the Speaker described the alleged directive as unacceptable and potentially dangerous to citizens’ fundamental rights.
Egbedun argued that political disagreements or security concerns could not justify the killing of citizens and called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate the allegation and clarify the operational orders issued to police formations in the state. (Sahara Reporters)
The police have now rejected the allegation outright.
Police Demand Evidence From Speaker
Speaking on behalf of Commissioner Gotan, the Osun Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the command had not issued any instruction directing officers to shoot people found at local government council premises.
According to a report by THISDAY, Ojelabi challenged Egbedun or anyone making the allegation to produce the purported order or any evidence demonstrating that such a directive was issued.
The police commissioner was quoted as saying there was “no such order” and that no policeman under his command was instructed to shoot people at council premises. (ThisDayLive)
The command said the allegation would not distract it from its constitutional responsibilities, including protecting lives and property, maintaining public order and ensuring the safety of residents.
The police also argued that its personnel demonstrated professionalism and restraint throughout the electoral period, contributing to the relatively peaceful atmosphere recorded during the August 15 governorship election. (ThisDayLive)
The demand for evidence places the controversy squarely between an allegation made by the presiding officer of the state legislature and a categorical denial by the state police leadership.
At this stage, no publicly available evidence establishing that Commissioner Gotan issued a shoot-on-sight order has been presented in the reports reviewed by Wengglobal.
What Egbedun Alleged
Egbedun’s allegation emerged from a broader dispute over the presence and control of local government secretariats in Osun.
The Speaker said the alleged directive raised serious concerns about the protection of citizens’ rights and the conduct of security personnel.
He argued that the police were established to protect citizens and should not be used as an instrument of political intimidation.
“The police are established to protect lives and property, not to take lives,” the Speaker said in his statement, according to reports by SaharaReporters and OsunDefender. (Sahara Reporters)
Egbedun also referred to earlier allegations surrounding a purported “killer squad” within the police establishment, noting that the Inspector-General of Police had previously denied such claims.
He maintained, however, that previous denials had not eliminated concerns about what he described as a pattern of alleged forceful invasions, arbitrary arrests and shootings involving security personnel.
The Speaker subsequently called for an urgent and transparent investigation.
He also urged citizens, civil society organisations, the media and human-rights groups to remain vigilant and document alleged violations.
Local Government Secretariats at the Centre of the Dispute
The controversy cannot be separated from the long-running political and legal dispute over local government administration in Osun State.
The state has experienced competing claims over who should occupy and control local government secretariats following a series of elections, court decisions and political changes.
The dispute dates back to the 2022 local government elections conducted under the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, when candidates of the All Progressives Congress won the council elections.
After Governor Ademola Adeleke assumed office in November 2022, his administration dissolved the APC-backed councils, citing a court judgment concerning the election.
The Adeleke administration subsequently conducted another local government election in February 2025, which was won overwhelmingly by candidates associated with the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
The legal battle continued, with the courts becoming central to determining the legitimacy of the competing council administrations.
OsunDefender reported that the dispute eventually resulted in locked local government secretariats, with both political factions laying claim to the facilities. (Osun Defender)
The conflict has periodically generated confrontations involving political supporters, security agencies and local government officials.
The latest police controversy therefore comes against a background of heightened political sensitivity, rather than as an isolated disagreement between the police and the state legislature.
Police Role Under Scrutiny
The role of security agencies in politically contested environments has attracted particular attention in Osun.
Before the August 15 governorship election, Egbedun and other lawmakers had previously accused the state’s police leadership of partisanship and called for the redeployment of Commissioner Gotan.
In June, national and state lawmakers from Osun demanded Gotan’s redeployment, alleging that he had failed to demonstrate neutrality in handling security matters.
PUNCH reported at the time that the lawmakers accused the commissioner of bias and called on the Inspector-General of Police to replace him ahead of the governorship election. (Punch Newspapers)
The police commissioner’s position in Osun had therefore already become a subject of political controversy before the latest allegation.
The command, however, has consistently maintained that its responsibilities are governed by law and that its personnel are expected to protect lives, maintain order and enforce applicable legislation without political bias.
Earlier Dispute Over SSG’s Arrest
The latest confrontation also follows an earlier dispute between Egbedun and the Osun Police Command over the arrest of the state’s Secretary to the Government, Teslim Igbalaye.
In July, police detained Igbalaye and five others after a raid on a residence linked to him.
The police said they recovered N4.8 million, voter cards, a voter register and other items that raised concerns about possible electoral offences. (TheCable)
Egbedun subsequently offered a different account, alleging that the SSG’s arrest was connected to an incident at an Independent National Electoral Commission stakeholders’ meeting.
The Speaker said Igbalaye had laughed after the police commissioner was booed by members of the public and alleged that the commissioner subsequently ordered his arrest.
He also alleged that there had been plans to implicate and arrest him personally.
The police did not accept Egbedun’s account of the circumstances surrounding the SSG’s detention.
The disagreement contributed to an increasingly tense relationship between the Speaker and the police leadership in the state.
Political Context Remains Important
The latest dispute emerged shortly after the Osun governorship election, which was held on August 15.
The electoral contest was closely watched because of the political rivalry between the incumbent administration and the opposition, as well as the broader implications for Nigeria’s 2027 political landscape.
The result also had immediate implications for the local political balance in Osun.
The state police command has said its personnel helped maintain security during the election period. The latest denial is therefore also an effort by the command to defend its record and reputation at a time when allegations of political interference could have significant consequences for public confidence.
For citizens, the central issue is not which political side prevails in the dispute but whether security agencies are acting within the law.
A credible police force must be able to demonstrate that its operations are based on lawful orders, established procedures and objective security assessments rather than political considerations.
Why the Allegation Requires Evidence
An alleged shoot-on-sight directive is a serious claim because such an order, if proven, would have significant implications for the protection of the right to life and the lawful use of force by security personnel.
That is precisely why the allegation should be subjected to transparent verification rather than political speculation.
If such an order was actually issued, evidence could potentially include written operational instructions, recorded briefings, official communications, eyewitness testimony or other verifiable documentation.
If no such order was issued, the police are entitled to demand that the allegation be withdrawn or corrected to prevent damage to public confidence.
The current public record, based on the reports reviewed by Wengglobal, contains competing claims but does not establish the alleged directive as fact.
That distinction is important in responsible journalism.
Egbedun’s allegation should be reported as an allegation, while the police denial should be given equal prominence. Neither side should be treated as having conclusively established its position without supporting evidence.
Due Process and Democratic Accountability
The controversy also reinforces the importance of due process during political disputes.
Local government secretariats are public institutions, and disputes over who controls them should ultimately be resolved through the courts and other lawful mechanisms rather than through confrontation.
Security agencies have a difficult responsibility when political factions claim the same public facilities.
Their role should be to prevent violence, protect people and property, enforce lawful court decisions and maintain public order.
Any instruction that encourages arbitrary violence would undermine those responsibilities.
Conversely, unfounded allegations against security agencies can also weaken public confidence and make it more difficult for officers to perform their duties.
Both sides therefore have a responsibility to ensure that claims are supported by evidence and that disagreements are handled through established democratic and legal channels.
Wengglobal Perspective
The Osun Police Command’s rejection of the alleged shoot-on-sight directive and its challenge to Speaker Adewale Egbedun to provide evidence have placed the burden of resolving the controversy on facts rather than competing political narratives.
The allegation is serious enough to warrant attention, particularly because it concerns the use of lethal force and the protection of citizens.
But seriousness should not be confused with proof.
As of the latest available reports, the police command says no such order was issued, while Egbedun maintains that the alleged directive requires investigation.
The appropriate next step is therefore an evidence-based inquiry capable of determining whether any written, verbal or operational instruction resembling the alleged order was issued.
If evidence exists, the authorities should investigate and take appropriate action. If no evidence exists, the record should be corrected to prevent misinformation from deepening political tensions.
Osun’s recent political history demonstrates how quickly disputes involving elections, local government control and security agencies can become contentious.
The state now needs restraint from political actors and professionalism from security agencies.
For the police, transparency and accountability are essential to preserving public trust. For political leaders, allegations involving security personnel should be backed by credible evidence and pursued through lawful institutions.
Ultimately, the protection of life, the rule of law and the credibility of democratic institutions must remain above partisan interests.
The latest controversy should therefore become an opportunity for clarification, not another trigger for political confrontation.
Sources:
- THISDAY — Reported the Osun Police Command’s denial of the alleged shoot-on-sight order and its challenge to Speaker Egbedun to provide evidence. (ThisDayLive)
- SaharaReporters — Reported Egbedun’s allegation that the Osun Commissioner of Police directed officers to adopt a shoot-on-sight policy at local government secretariats. (Sahara Reporters)
- OsunDefender — Reported the Speaker’s allegation, his call for an investigation and the wider dispute surrounding local government secretariats. (Osun Defender)
- Naija News — Reported Egbedun’s allegation and his demand for clarification of police operational orders in Osun. (Naija News)
- PUNCH — Previously reported the Speaker’s criticism of the Osun police leadership and calls for the redeployment of Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan. (Punch Newspapers)
- TheCable — Reported the earlier dispute between Egbedun and the Osun Police Command over the arrest of Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye. (TheCable)
