Amnesty International has urged authorities to investigate and hold Osun East Senator Francis Fadahunsi accountable over a viral video in which he is allegedly seen giving controversial instructions, intensifying calls for scrutiny over the incident.
A combo inage of Amnesty International (L) and Fadahunsi (R)
Amnesty International has called on the authorities to hold the senator representing Osun East in the National Assembly, Francis Fadahunsi, accountable for allegedly “instructing his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election”.
The rights group, in a post on its X handle, described the remarks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker as “deliberate and solely aimed at inciting a bloody poll in Osun State”.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns Francis Fadahunsi (APC) — senator representing the Osun East senatorial district, who was on video during campaign, instructing his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.
“Senator Fadahunsi’s reckless remarks were deliberate and solely aimed at inciting a bloody poll in Osun state,” it stated.
The organisation also said that Nigerian authorities have an obligation to prohibit advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to hostility, discrimination or violence.
“The authorities must urgently denounce any statements, live, online or otherwise, which advocate violence.
“Senator Fadahunsi must be held accountable,” it added.
Amnesty International’s call follows a viral video in which Fadahunsi was alleged to have directed his supporters to exhibit behaviour against members of the Accord Party, which has incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke as its governorship candidate.
Governor Adeleke, at a press conference on Tuesday, accused Fadahunsi of inciting violence and “genocide” against members of the Accord Party, demanding a thorough investigation to prevent the actualisation of such threats.
He also demanded the “immediate arrest” of the lawmaker whose comment he described as a “national security threat”.
“This is now beyond politics. This is now a national security threat that requires the attention of Mr President through the office of the National Security Adviser. I have raised this issue with the IGP and demanded the immediate investigation and arrest of Senator Fadahunsi. The IGP has confirmed the video and assured me of immediate action,” Adeleke said.
“We request that the IGP should stop the illegal operations of IRT, a team that has been arresting Accord Party leaders across the local governments for no just reason. We ask that the police and the DSS immediately arrest Senator Fadahunsi for his incitement to genocide against the people of Ijesahland and Osun State. This is to prove to the world that Nigeria is a state governed by the rule of law.”
But Fadahunsi dismissed claims of inciting violence, stating that he was addressing the “continued killing of APC members” by alleged thugs in Ilesa, and maintaining that his party would “defend its people” if the violence persisted.
“The video was deliberately edited to distort what I actually said. What I said was that if the alleged killing of our party members by Accord Party thugs does not stop, our party will retaliate. I was referring to the continued violence and attacks against our members in Ilesa and other parts of the state,” Senator Fadahunsi stated.
“My statement was very clear: if the killings do not stop, we shall also retaliate. We are here to lodge complaints and demand justice. It is unacceptable for human beings to kill fellow human beings the way our members are allegedly being killed in Ilesa,” he added.
