“Osun Poll Violence: Lawyers Give INEC, Police Seven Days To Probe Alleged Incitement, Killings” — Demand Forensic Examination Of Videos

The Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates, COPA, has given the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Nigeria Police Force seven days to take further investigative action over alleged inflammatory statements and killings connected with the recently concluded Osun State governorship election.
The coalition is demanding forensic examination of viral videos involving some political figures, investigation of reported election-related deaths and prosecution of any person against whom sufficient evidence of an electoral or criminal offence is established.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, COPA Coordinator, Ajibola Bello, said the controversy transcended party politics and the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.
According to him, the issues raised concern the protection of human life, citizens’ constitutional right to vote and the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral and criminal justice systems.
“It concerns the sanctity of human life, the integrity of our electoral system and the fundamental principle that nobody is above the law,” Bello said.
COPA based its demands partly on three videos which circulated during the election campaign and which, according to the coalition, contained remarks requiring investigation for possible incitement, intimidation or interference with voting rights.
One of the videos was attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District.
The coalition said the recording had been interpreted as containing remarks encouraging supporters to attack members of the Accord Party.
Bello said serious violence subsequently occurred in Ilesa and surrounding communities, with more than nine persons reportedly losing their lives.
He stressed, however, that the coalition was not declaring that the senator’s alleged statement caused any of the deaths or that criminal responsibility had been established.
“Where a serving Senator is recorded allegedly telling supporters to kill members of an opposing political party, and people subsequently lose their lives in election-related violence, the institutions established by law cannot simply look away,” he said.
Fadahunsi had earlier denied advocating physical violence against Accord members.
Following public outrage over the viral video, the senator honoured an invitation by the Osun State Police Command and was questioned for about two hours.
He maintained that his reference to “killing” Accord was political rhetoric and that what he intended was for APC supporters to defeat the party through their votes rather than physical attacks.
The senator’s explanation notwithstanding, COPA maintained that the complete recording should be subjected to forensic examination and the circumstances surrounding the violence independently investigated.
The coalition also referred to another video attributed to Hon. Wole Oke, a prominent figure in the APC governorship campaign.
According to COPA, a translated portion of the Yoruba-language recording contained a statement to the effect that anyone opposing President Bola Tinubu should be prepared to face consequences.
“Where Tinubu is, is where I am. Anyone who goes against Tinubu should be ready to face the consequences. We won’t say more than that,” the coalition quoted the speaker in the video as saying.
COPA noted that Esa-Oke, Oke’s hometown, subsequently witnessed political violence in which a person was reportedly killed.
Bello was careful to state that the existence of the video and subsequent violence did not, without more, establish that Oke was legally responsible for any killing.
“We are not saying that the statement, standing alone, establishes criminal responsibility for any subsequent killing. That determination belongs to investigators and ultimately the courts,” he said.
“What we are saying is that the statement and the violence that followed provide sufficient reason for a thorough and impartial investigation.”
COPA also demanded investigation of a third video attributed to Francis Eniade.
The coalition alleged that the speaker in the recording warned persons who did not support the APC, particularly Accord supporters, against coming out to vote.
It further alleged that the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, was specifically mentioned as someone who should not come out to exercise his franchise.
Bello said any attempt to prevent an eligible Nigerian from voting could raise serious questions under the Electoral Act.
“No Nigerian politician has the authority to determine who may exercise the constitutional right to vote,” he said.
COPA argued that the alleged statements should not simply be dismissed as ordinary campaign rhetoric because provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 criminalise certain forms of threats, intimidation, undue influence and conduct aimed at preventing eligible voters from freely participating in elections.
The coalition particularly drew INEC’s attention to Section 148 of the Electoral Act 2026.
Section 148(1) provides that offences under the Act may be tried by a Magistrate Court or High Court of the state in which the alleged offence was committed, or in the Federal Capital Territory where applicable.
Subsection (2) provides that prosecution under the Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of INEC or legal practitioners appointed by the Commission.
Bello argued that the provision meant INEC could not treat allegations of electoral offences as matters entirely outside its responsibility.
“We particularly remind the Independent National Electoral Commission that it cannot present itself as a helpless observer in this matter,” he said.
The coalition maintained that while the police have primary investigative responsibilities concerning alleged criminal conduct, INEC possesses statutory powers relating to the prosecution of offences created by the Electoral Act.
COPA consequently called on the police to obtain the complete versions of the disputed videos, establish their authenticity, identify the persons appearing or speaking in them and determine whether they were edited, altered or presented out of context.
It also wants investigators to interview relevant witnesses and examine whether there is any evidential relationship between the statements under scrutiny and particular incidents of violence.
The coalition emphasised that temporal proximity between a political statement and subsequent violence would not, by itself, establish criminal liability.
Rather, investigators would have to establish the required elements of any alleged offence before prosecution could properly commence.
COPA also demanded investigations into reported killings connected with the election period.
Political violence had emerged as a major security concern in Osun in the months preceding the governorship poll, with the police acknowledging several reports of allegedly politically motivated killings and disclosing that arrests and prosecutions had been made in some cases.
Governor Ademola Adeleke had similarly announced plans for an independent commission of inquiry to investigate reported election-related killings and violence and recommend action against those found responsible.
COPA, however, said federal law enforcement and electoral authorities must independently discharge their statutory responsibilities.
The coalition said it had received reports alleging that reluctance to act against some of the persons mentioned in the viral videos was connected to their association with the ruling All Progressives Congress.
It stressed that it had not independently established those claims but challenged the police and INEC to demonstrate through transparent action that political affiliation would not affect the enforcement of the law.
“We are therefore publicly calling upon both INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to demonstrate, through their actions, that these reports are false,” Bello said.
He questioned whether security agencies would have responded differently if similar remarks had been attributed to members of opposition political parties.
“If a member of Accord, PDP, ADC or any other opposition political party had been captured on video allegedly directing supporters to kill APC members, would the security agencies have remained silent?” he asked.
“Nigeria cannot have one criminal justice system for members of the ruling party and another for everyone else.”
The coalition consequently demanded that within seven days the police undertake what it described as a transparent and comprehensive investigation, subject the videos to forensic authentication and question all persons whose alleged remarks are under scrutiny.
It also asked investigators to examine the circumstances of reported killings and determine whether available evidence reveals any criminal responsibility.
COPA separately called on INEC to exercise its powers under Section 148 of the Electoral Act where investigations disclose offences punishable under the electoral legislation.
Bello stressed that the coalition was not demanding the automatic arrest or conviction of any of the political figures mentioned.
“We are not asking INEC or the Police to pronounce anyone guilty,” he said.
“We are demanding investigation, prosecution where the evidence meets the legal threshold, and determination of guilt or innocence by a court of competent jurisdiction. That is what the rule of law requires.”
The coalition said it would monitor the response of the two institutions during the seven-day period and consider further lawful steps should they fail to take what it considers appropriate action.
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