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The Osun State First Lady, Titilola Adeleke, on Monday led a group of women on a peaceful protest against alleged indiscriminate arrests and violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The protesters, comprising women from various trader and artisan groups, marched from the Osogbo-Ilobu Road towards the Osun State Police Command along the West Bypass, where they demanded a peaceful, free and fair election.
They carried placards with messages including “Election is not war,” “We want a free and fair election,” “Police must be neutral” and “Stop indiscriminate arrest of our husbands.”
The protesters were prevented from proceeding to the main entrance of the police command but were received by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Etaifo.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Adeleke called on the police to investigate alleged violence and invite some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for questioning.
She said the women were particularly concerned about reports of arrests of their husbands, children and political leaders in the state.
“We are demanding a free and fair election in the forthcoming poll. We want peace; let there be peace,” Adeleke said.
She also alleged that the Commissioner for Environment, who was arrested the previous Friday, was brought to the police command and stripped naked, describing the alleged treatment as unacceptable.
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The First Lady subsequently presented a letter containing the protesters’ demands to the police commissioner.
Responding, Etaifo assured the women that the command would consider their concerns, while stressing that its priority was to prevent a breakdown of law and order before Saturday’s election.
He said the Inspector-General of Police had deployed him to Osun to help stabilise the state, create a secure environment for political activities and build public confidence in the electoral process.
“We are going back and restrategising to attend to all your demands. Why I am discussing with you is because we don’t want tension before the election; we want peace,” Etaifo said.
The police commissioner warned that anyone involved in activities capable of disrupting the election would be arrested and prosecuted.
“If you are a manipulator of any election, that is even the worst. The IG and Nigeria will not forgive you. I will arrest you and take you to Abuja because this election is a federal election; we must get it right,” he said.
Etaifo commended the protesters for keeping the demonstration peaceful but urged them to return home to avoid a confrontation with other groups.
He also assured them that police personnel would escort them back to the point where the protest began.
