The Osun State Police Command has officially summoned Senator Francis Fadahunsi, the lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District, following a massive public outcry over a viral video in which he allegedly directed All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters to “kill” members of the rival Accord Party.
The police invitation comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of the state’s governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026. Security agencies have repeatedly warned political actors against deploying hate speech and inciting rhetoric.
In a letter dated August 11, 2026, the police ordered Senator Fadahunsi to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Osogbo at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, August 12, to “clarify the circumstances” surrounding the controversial remarks, which were made during an APC campaign rally in Ilesa on Tuesday.
The letter, signed by Samuel Etaifo Erale, the Commissioner of Police for Elections in Osun State, stated that the lawmaker’s comments posed a threat to public peace.
“The invitation is premised on information in possession of the Nigeria Police alleging that during your address at the aforementioned programme, you made statements considered to be threatening, inciting, and intimidating in nature, and the statement has already been in circulation on various electronic and social media platforms,” the document read.
The Viral Remarks
The controversy erupted after a video clip circulated widely on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. In the footage, the APC senator is seen addressing a crowd in Yoruba, apparently authorizing violence against opposition members.
“From now on, whenever you see Accord members, kill them. I authorize you to kill them. They have wives and children too,” Fadahunsi said in the video.
The footage immediately drew sharp condemnation from civil society groups, election observers, and opposition parties, who warned that such utterances from a high-profile lawmaker could trigger pre-election violence in a state already flagged as a security flashpoint.
Fadahunsi’s Camp Reacts: “It Was a Metaphor”
In a swift damage-control effort, Senator Fadahunsi’s media team released a statement arguing that the senator’s remarks were taken out of context. According to his handlers, the phrase “kill Accord” was a political metaphor rather than a call to physical violence.
In a statement titled *”Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence,”* the campaign team urged the public to disregard the literal interpretation of the speech.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Senator’s statement was purely political and metaphorical,” the statement read. “It was a call on supporters to overwhelmingly reject the Accord Party at the ballot box through lawful, peaceful, and democratic means during the August 15 governorship election.”
As the August 15 election approaches, the police command has reiterated its commitment to maintaining order, warning that no politician, regardless of status, will be allowed to disrupt the peace of the state. It remains unclear if Senator Fadahunsi has honored the SCID invitation at the time of filing this report.
