Human rights commission warns that alleged inciting remarks could trigger deadly electoral violence in Osun; calls on Senate, Police and DSS to act before August 15 governorship poll
By A1NEWS International
OSOGBO, NIGERIA — August 12, 2026:
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for the immediate suspension and arrest of Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, following the circulation of a video allegedly showing the lawmaker making inflammatory statements against members and supporters of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
The commission said the alleged remarks, if authenticated, amount to a serious threat to life, electoral intimidation and incitement to violence and should not be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric.
The NHRC’s intervention comes just days before the August 15 governorship election, amid heightened political tensions and previous allegations of attacks involving supporters of rival political parties.
The commission is demanding urgent action by the Senate leadership, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), arguing that preventive intervention is necessary to avoid a possible escalation of political violence.
THE VIDEO AT THE CENTRE OF THE CONTROVERSY
According to the NHRC, a video circulating online appears to feature Senator Fadahunsi making statements interpreted as directing his supporters to attack members of the Accord Party.
The commission attributed the following translated remarks to the senator:
“From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorise you to kill them. They have wives and children too. This is a Federal Government election. On election day, even if they come with voter cards, we won’t allow them to vote.”
A1NEWS International has not independently established the authenticity, original context or complete recording of the video. The allegations therefore require prompt forensic and criminal investigation before any definitive conclusion is reached.
However, the NHRC considers the content sufficiently grave to warrant immediate action by the appropriate authorities.
NHRC: ‘THIS IS NOT POLITICS — THIS IS A LICENCE TO KILL’
NHRC Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, OFR, described the alleged statement as an apparent incitement to murder and electoral violence.
“This is not politics. This is a licence to kill,” Ojukwu said, according to the commission’s statement.
He argued that a public officer accused of encouraging citizens to kill fellow Nigerians because of political affiliation should not remain in a position of authority while the allegations are being investigated.
“A public officer who tells citizens to murder other citizens because of party affiliation must not be allowed to remain in office for one more day,” Ojukwu stated.
The commission consequently called on the Senate leadership to suspend Fadahunsi from legislative duties pending the outcome of an investigation.
It also called on the Police and DSS to arrest, investigate and, where the evidence establishes criminal liability, prosecute the senator in accordance with the law.
“We cannot wait until blood is spilled in Osun before we act. Prevention is the duty of the state and the leadership of the NASS is part of the state,” Ojukwu said.
NHRC WIDENS WARNING TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES
Beyond the allegation involving Fadahunsi, the human rights commission issued a broader warning to political parties and their candidates ahead of the Osun election and subsequent electoral contests.
The NHRC called on all political party chairmen to direct their members to refrain from statements capable of encouraging hatred, intimidation, violence or attacks against political opponents.
The commission said candidates, supporters and party officials who violate such directives should be identified and reported to law enforcement authorities for investigation and possible prosecution.
The position places responsibility not only on individual politicians but also on political parties to control the conduct and rhetoric of their candidates and supporters.
OSUN’S PRE-ELECTION SECURITY ENVIRONMENT UNDER SCRUTINY
The latest controversy is unfolding against an already tense political background in Osun State.
In July, Governor Ademola Adeleke accused several APC figures, including Fadahunsi, of promoting or facilitating political violence and called for sanctions against individuals he identified as allegedly contributing to insecurity in the state.
The Osun State Government said at the time that political violence had resulted in killings and serious injuries during the campaign period.
Those allegations were rejected by Fadahunsi and his representatives, who described accusations linking him to political violence as reckless, politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence.
The dispute demonstrates the increasingly polarized environment surrounding the election and underscores the importance of independent investigation rather than political accusations becoming substitutes for evidence.
ACCORD PARTY MEMBERS HAVE ALSO REPORTED ATTACKS AND ARRESTS
Concerns surrounding the treatment of Accord Party members have surfaced repeatedly during the election cycle.
In July, the Imole Campaign Council alleged that Accord Party House of Representatives candidate Popoola Alaba and other party members were arrested by police officers allegedly linked to Fadahunsi’s security detail.
The police disputed the political interpretation of the incident, saying Alaba was arrested following a petition alleging illegal mining and other offences. Police authorities also said some persons arrested alongside him attacked officers and damaged a police vehicle.
Fadahunsi’s media adviser denied any involvement by the senator in the arrest, describing the allegations as baseless and lacking credible evidence.
The competing accounts illustrate why independent investigation is critical where allegations involve political actors, security agencies and electoral contestants.
WHY THE ALLEGED THREAT IS SIGNIFICANT
Political rhetoric becomes particularly dangerous when it is directed at identifiable groups during an election period.
An allegation that a sitting senator instructed supporters to kill members of a rival political party, if authenticated, would raise questions beyond partisan competition. It could potentially implicate criminal, electoral and constitutional safeguards relating to the protection of life, political participation and peaceful elections.
There is also a wider democratic implication.
Political parties are expected to compete for votes, not prevent opponents from exercising their constitutional rights through threats or violence. Similarly, the right to vote cannot meaningfully exist where citizens fear physical attacks because of the political party they support.
NHRC CALLS FOR EVIDENCE-BASED ACTION
While demanding immediate action, the commission also stressed the need for investigation under due process.
This distinction is important.
A viral video, particularly where its origin, editing history, translation and context have not been independently established, should not by itself be treated as conclusive proof of criminal conduct.
The appropriate response is therefore a prompt, transparent and professionally conducted investigation capable of establishing:
- whether the person in the video is Senator Fadahunsi;
- whether the recording is authentic and complete;
- when and where it was made;
- what language was spoken and whether the translation is accurate;
- whether the remarks were directed at a specific group;
- whether the senator intended to encourage violence;
- whether anyone acted upon the alleged instruction; and
- whether the conduct violates applicable criminal and electoral laws.
Such an investigation would protect both potential victims and the accused’s right to due process.
NHRC SETS UP ELECTION SITUATION ROOM
The commission has urged residents of Osun State to remain calm and reject violence irrespective of political affiliation.
It said it has established a situation room to receive, document and monitor reports of human rights violations and other incidents during the election period.
Citizens were encouraged to report threats and suspected violations to the NHRC and relevant security authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.
The commission’s intervention reflects a broader concern that early warning signs must be addressed before they develop into coordinated attacks.
THE BIGGER QUESTION: CAN SECURITY AGENCIES PREVENT ELECTION VIOLENCE?
The immediate test for the Police, DSS, INEC, political parties and other institutions is whether allegations of incitement will be investigated impartially, regardless of the political identity of the person involved.
The credibility of the August 15 election will depend not only on voting technology and ballot counting but also on whether voters can move freely, campaign peacefully and cast their ballots without intimidation.
For Osun voters, the central issue is therefore straightforward: political competition must not become a licence for violence.
The NHRC’s demand for the suspension and investigation of Senator Francis Fadahunsi places the issue of political incitement at the centre of the final days before the Osun governorship election.
The allegations remain allegations until independently investigated and established through competent evidence. But the seriousness of the alleged words means that authorities cannot afford either complacency or partisan treatment.
The proper response is swift investigation, protection of threatened citizens, accountability where wrongdoing is established and strict adherence to due process.
With the election only days away, the responsibility now rests with political leaders, security agencies, electoral authorities and voters to ensure that political disagreement does not translate into bloodshed.
A1NEWS International will continue to monitor developments surrounding the allegations, the NHRC intervention and the security situation ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election.
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