The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has expressed concern over the worsening insecurity in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
This is as the group called on security agencies, political parties and electoral stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, free and credible poll.
Speaking during the organisation’s July 2026 State of the State address on Thursday, the Executive Director of TOM, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, said the state’s security situation had deteriorated in recent months, with increasing reports of cult-related violence, armed political thuggery and clashes linked to the election season.
“Residents in Osogbo, Ede, Ilesa and Ile-Ife now live under growing anxiety as confrontations involving rival political groups and cult gangs increasingly occur in public places, disrupting commercial activities and threatening public safety,” he said.
Oyedokun-Alli said the rising insecurity should not be separated from preparations for the governorship election, warning that unchecked violence could discourage voter participation and undermine confidence in the electoral process.
“We sound a stern note of caution to all relevant stakeholders—the State Government, political parties, candidate campaign structures, local government administrators, and security agencies—that the peace and stability of Osun State must not be sacrificed on the altar of desperate political ambitions,” he added.
The group urged political parties to disband informal security outfits, armed militias and political enforcement squads allegedly operating across the state.
It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, to deploy impartial and adequate security personnel to polling units and collation centres
