The House of Representatives candidate of the Accord Party for the Ijesa South Federal Constituency in the 2027 General Election, Hon. Alaba Popoola, popularly known as Alabama, has called for calm among residents of Ijesaland following the alleged abduction of two Accord Party stakeholders in Ilesa East Local Government Area.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on June 25, 2026, involved Hon. Kasumu Simiyu and Mr. Iyiola Dagunduro, who were allegedly abducted before later regaining their freedom.
In a statement issued on Sunday and made available to OneForAllMedia, Alaba urged residents to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and avoid actions that could heighten tension, while calling on security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
According to him, the victims and eyewitnesses have identified several individuals allegedly linked to the incident. Those named include Mr. Aluko Oluwatobi, popularly known as "Lucifer," Mr. Lasisi Ojo Abdullahi, and Mr. Asu Bitter, who were alleged to have participated in the operation while armed with firearms, axes, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons.
The Accord candidate expressed concern over what he described as growing fears among residents, stressing that allegations of politically motivated violence, intimidation, and abduction have no place in a democratic society.
He noted that the accounts reportedly given by the victims after their release, alongside eyewitness testimonies and videos circulating in the public domain, have raised serious public concerns that require an immediate, transparent, and impartial investigation by the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies.
"It is unacceptable that allegations of this magnitude involving violence, intimidation, and abduction should remain unresolved without a swift and transparent investigation. The people of Ijesaland deserve justice, accountability, and the assurance that no individual is above the law," he said.
Alaba also expressed concern over comments reportedly made by the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command regarding the incident, urging the Inspector-General of Police to constitute a special investigative team to independently examine all aspects of the case.
He further called on the police to invite, investigate, and where evidence supports the allegations, arrest all individuals identified by the victims and eyewitnesses, emphasizing that every allegation deserves proper scrutiny through due process.
"The objective is not persecution, but justice. Every victim deserves justice, every allegation deserves a thorough investigation, and every suspect is entitled to fair hearing and due process under the law," he stated.
The federal lawmaker hopeful also appealed to political stakeholders, traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations, and security agencies to work collectively towards preserving peace while ensuring that justice is neither delayed nor denied.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and the protection of the lives and rights of citizens, assuring the people of Ijesaland that every lawful effort would be pursued to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
