Civil society organisations, student groups and youth coalitions on Monday staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo, Osun State, over rising incidents of political violence and killings ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

The protest followed the killing of a teenager, Ezekiel Olapade, in Ilobu, an incident that has triggered widespread outrage across the state.

The demonstrators, under the umbrella of the Osun Youth and Students’ Coalition Network, marched through major streets of Osogbo, joined by groups including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the National Association of Colleges of Education Students (NANCES) and the Osun Youth Network.

They called for an immediate end to political violence and urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute suspected political thugs.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Mr Lamina Omotoyosi, Executive Director of the World Institute for Peace, urged government and security agencies to act decisively against perpetrators of violence, while expressing confidence in the leadership of the Osun Police Command.

He also called on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate unresolved cases of political violence in the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke condemned the killing of the teenager, describing it as a tragic reflection of worsening political tension in Osun State.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the governor accused some security operatives of complicity in political violence and called for the arrest of those involved, including a suspect identified as Saheed Tanfeani.

Adeleke also urged the Presidency and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene, alleging partisan bias within the state police command.

In reaction to the killing, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) suspended its scheduled campaign rally in Ilobu, describing the incident as a painful reminder of the dangers of political violence.

The party’s governorship candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, condemned all forms of violence and called for a thorough investigation, stressing that no political ambition is worth the loss of innocent lives.