Adeleke had earlier accused the outgoing Osun State Commissioner of Police, Gotan, of bias and partiality ahead of the Osun governorship election.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, has tasked the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, not to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Ibrahim Gotan, urging him to restore public confidence, ensure impartial policing and improve security coordination across the state.
He gave the advice on Monday, in a statement shared on X after Zungura paid him a courtesy visit following his assumption of duty as the new Commissioner of Police in Osun.
Governor Adeleke and his campaign team had earlier accused the former Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of bias and partiality ahead of the Osun governorship election.
According to them, security compromises and partisan police actions were being used to intimidate voters, and they specifically pointed to an outside police officer allegedly deployed to his hometown of Ede to cause unrest.
However, on August 24, 2026, CP Zungura took over leadership of the Osun State Police Command after his predecessor, Gotan, was redeployed following concerns over election duties.
Speaking after the visit of the newly deployed police boss, Adeleke said the state government was ready to support the police command “without any strings attached”, but expected the force to uphold fairness and professionalism in the discharge of its responsibilities.
He added that their meeting was particularly significant as the state continues its efforts to promote peace, reconciliation and stability following the recent governorship election.
The Accord Party chieftain welcomed Zungura’s stated commitment to impartial policing, peace and stability, while outlining five key areas he expects the new commissioner to prioritise.
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The governor urged the police command to rebuild public trust by ensuring that officers carry out their duties professionally and fairly, with the interests of residents in mind.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the state government and the police, anchored on mutual respect, adherence to the rule of law and impartiality.
Adeleke further asked the new commissioner to review the internal operations of the command and take steps to address units alleged to have been compromised or perceived as politically partisan.
The governor also requested greater involvement of the police command in meetings of the State Security Council, saying such participation would strengthen coordination among security agencies and improve the state’s overall security architecture.
His fifth demand was for the release of individuals he described as political detainees and an end to arrests he considered politically motivated.
According to Adeleke, addressing these issues would help consolidate peace, strengthen confidence in security institutions and promote reconciliation across the state.
“Osun deserves peace. Osun deserves justice. Osun deserves a police command that enjoys the confidence of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation,” the governor said.
He also appealed to political actors and other stakeholders to put aside their differences and contribute to efforts aimed at healing divisions within the state.
“Let us work together to heal our state, rebuild trust and give peace a permanent home in Osun,” Adeleke added.
