Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has condemned the killing of a 14-year-old teenager in Ilobu, accusing the state police command of complicity in what he described as politically motivated violence in parts of the state.

The governor, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, alleged that the teenager was killed in the presence of police operatives by suspected political thugs linked to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Adeleke said the incident was a disturbing reflection of what he termed the alleged indulgence of the police command towards political actors and thugs accused of fomenting trouble across the state.

He alleged that the attack was carried out by persons operating in an AMBO-branded Siena bus, adding that the suspects should be immediately arrested and prosecuted.

“This killing is the worst example of police complicity. This re-confirms a pattern of police indulgence of Osun APC political thugs who move around towns with guns and regular gunshots in the air,” Adeleke said.

The governor further accused the police of failing to halt attacks and harassment of residents and supporters of the Accord Party in affected communities.

He specifically called on the Osun State Police Command to arrest one Saheed Tanfeani, whom he alleged led the operation that resulted in the teenager’s death.

Adeleke also expressed concern over the continued deployment of police operatives to council secretariats, alleging that the security personnel were protecting APC local government chairmen whose tenures had allegedly been nullified by the courts.

According to him, the police deployment was preventing PDP chairmen and councillors, whom he described as duly elected, from accessing council secretariats.

“Presently, the Osun police command is providing protection to court-sacked APC council chairmen who have just been re-sacked by the Federal High Court in a case they filed,” the governor alleged.

He described the development as an abuse of police power and a threat to democratic governance, insisting that the rule of law, Electoral Act and the Constitution must be respected.

Adeleke said his administration had submitted several petitions to the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant security agencies over alleged threats to peace and security in the state.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene, warning that continued failure to enforce the law could provoke citizens into resorting to self-help.

The governor, however, urged residents of the state to remain peaceful and law-abiding while demanding justice for the slain teenager.