Police Summon Senator Fadahunsi Over Alleged Death Threats

The Osun State Police Command has summoned Senator Francis Fadahunsi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo on Wednesday. The summons follows a viral video from a rally in Ilesa where the senator allegedly incited supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Accord candidate, condemned the remarks as an "incitement to genocide" and a national security threat. Adeleke and the Imole Campaign Council further accused the Nigeria Police Force of using the Intelligence Response Team to arbitrarily detain over 62 Accord Party leaders and orchestrate the abduction of House of Representatives candidate Alaba Popoola to subvert the election.

Senator Fadahunsi denied calling for violence, claiming the video was deliberately edited to distort his meaning. He asserted that his remarks were a "political and metaphorical" call to defeat the Accord Party at the ballot box, though he later clarified that his comments were a reaction to the alleged killing of APC members by Accord thugs in Ilesa.

The controversy has drawn wider condemnation. Presidential candidate Peter Obi demanded a retraction and apology, while human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju petitioned the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on the senator. Additionally, campaign spokesman Pelumi Olajengbesi threatened a 10 billion naira defamation lawsuit against Fadahunsi over separate claims regarding the sponsorship of cult groups.