Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has expressed concern over recent killings in Ilesa and other parts of Osun State, just days before the state’s governorship election scheduled for Saturday.
Dalung, in a statement on Wednesday, said reports of multiple killings had become disturbing, particularly against the backdrop of an already tense political atmosphere in the state.
His comments come as the Osun State Police Command confirmed that three people were killed in a suspected cult-related clash in the Imo area of Ilesa. Reports from other media outlets have put the death toll at five, underscoring the need for authorities to clarify the circumstances and number of casualties.
While the police have described the Ilesa incident as cult-related, political tensions have also intensified ahead of Saturday’s election, with allegations and counter-allegations emerging among political actors.
Dalung said the different explanations surrounding the violence should not obscure the loss of human lives.
“Whatever the explanation turns out to be, dead Nigerians are dead Nigerians,” he said.
He said photographs from some of the latest incidents were disturbing and warned that violence during the electoral period could have consequences beyond the immediate incidents.
“We have seen this pattern too many times in Nigeria,” Dalung said, arguing that violence often begins around political gatherings before competing sides accuse one another and the victims and their families are left to bear the consequences.
He urged the police and other security agencies to provide Nigerians with clear information about the incidents.
Among the questions he said authorities should answer are the identities of those killed, the locations and circumstances of each incident, what triggered the violence, whether the victims were politically affiliated, whether arrests have been made and whether the incidents are connected.
He also urged security agencies to establish whether the reported killings represent a coordinated pattern of political violence or separate incidents involving cult groups and other criminal elements.
Dalung’s call comes amid heightened concern over inflammatory political rhetoric in Osun. The police have invited Senator Francis Fadahunsi over a viral video in which he was alleged to have threatened members of the Accord Party ahead of the election. The police described the video as a matter of serious concern.
Dalung also appealed to political leaders to exercise restraint, warning that inflammatory statements could have serious consequences in an environment where tensions are already high.
“When people are already angry and armed men are moving around, careless statements can have consequences beyond the rally where they were made,” he said.
He stressed that the election should not be treated as a battle.
“Saturday is an election. It is not a battlefield.”
Dalung called on political actors to allow residents of Osun State to choose their next governor through the ballot rather than violence.
He further appealed for those responsible for the killings to be brought to justice, whether they are identified as cultists, political thugs or individuals who allegedly sponsor violence from behind the scenes.
“Nobody should have to bury a father, mother, brother, sister or child because of a political contest,” he said.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, with the contest taking place amid heightened political activity and security concerns across the state.
The Credibility News will continue to monitor developments and report verified information as it becomes available.
