……it’s a shameful return to dark days of political repression and fear
The K-RAD Vanguard views with grave alarm and absolute indignation the unjust arrest of Governor Ifedolapo by operatives of the Federal SWAT in Ibadan, and his subsequent detention at Iya Ganku. We find this act not only unlawful and vindictive, but also a shameful return to the dark days of political repression and fear.
Let it be known: Governor Ifedolapo’s only “offense” was exercising his fundamental right to free speech; a constitutional right guaranteed under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His criticism of Governor Ademola Adeleke may have ruffled some political feathers, but it remains squarely within the bounds of civil discourse in any thriving democracy.
That this arrest came following a petition reportedly jointly signed by CSP Adefisoye Kazeem and Nurudeen Kareem, Special Adviser on Legal Matters to Governor Adeleke, reveals a deeply disturbing trend of using state machinery to gag dissent, intimidate political opponents, and silence divergent opinions. This is not governance. This is tyranny wearing a democratic mask.
The latest public revelation that the Adeleke administration spent a staggering ₦3.1 billion on travel expenses alone within just six months while critical sectors like education suffer, teachers remain unemployed, and the state reels from underdevelopment only confirms what Osun residents have feared: a government more interested in luxury than legacy. In the face of this financial recklessness and growing misgovernance, it has become a civic duty for every right-thinking citizen of Osun State to rise, speak out, and oppose this tragic drift into impunity and wastefulness.
Even more troubling is the ongoing forced redundancy of local government staff across the state, who have now been made to sit at home for six consecutive months. This deliberate sidelining of an entire tier of government one closest to the grassroots is not only an abuse of power but a tragic disservice to the people of Osun State. No government that truly has the welfare of its people at heart would paralyze local governance in such a manner.
We issue this stern warning to the masterminds behind this witch-hunt: Nigerians will not sit idly while freedom is strangled.
We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Governor Ifedolapo.
Any continued detention of this respected leader will be viewed as a direct affront to democratic values and a deliberate provocation to loyal citizens across Osun State and beyond who still believe in justice, equity, and the rule of law.
We call on civil society, human rights organizations, and all defenders of democratic freedom to rise and speak against this orchestrated injustice.
Let history remember who stood for truth when it mattered. We, the K-RAD Vanguard, will not be silent in the face of oppression not now, not ever.