. Security agencies placed on red alert
Security agencies in Osun State were on Sunday placed on high alert following sharp exchanges between the All Progressives Congress and the state government over alleged plans for protests targeting branches of a commercial bank across the state.
Opposition APC had alleged that demonstrations were being prepared by pensioners at United Bank for Africa branches in response to controversies surrounding federal allocations to local government councils.
Osun State APC in a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, alleged that the protests were politically motivated, urging authorities to take pre-emptive action.
The APC challenged the state government to publicly distance itself from an organised attempt to stir public unrest.
The opposition party said intelligence available to it suggested that the protests could take place as early as Monday.
APC.said, “the alleged demonstrations were linked to the ongoing dispute over the direct payment of federal allocations to reinstated local government chairmen and councillors.”
It maintained that the matter was already before the courts and should not be subjected to street action.
“The issue of local government allocations is a legal matter, and any attempt to move it to the streets is capable of endangering public peace. We call on the police to ensure that law and order were maintained,” it stated.
APC, while warning elderly residents to avoid being drawn into actions that could expose them to harm, stressed that senior citizens should not be used as instruments in politically charged protests with unpredictable outcomes.
In a swift reaction, the Osun State Government dismissed the allegations as unfounded and politically driven.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a counter statement described the claims as spurious alarms intended to distract the public from broader governance issues.
“The administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke does not sponsor protests or agitations. Citizens are aware of their rights and can express grievances within the bounds of the law without prompting from government,” he said.
The state government stressed its commitment to due process and the rule of law, noting that it had consistently urged calm despite heightened political tensions.
The CPS insisted that neither the governor nor members of his family had any involvement in organising demonstrations and accused the APC of attempting to politicise the grievances of workers and pensioners.
“The people of Osun are discerning and will not be misled by narratives designed to create fear,” he said.
The government also urged security agencies to remain vigilant, not against peaceful expression, but against any attempt to exploit public gatherings for violence.
“Security operatives should prevent any group from hijacking legitimate concerns to cause instability,” the CPS added.
