Kwara Group Accuses Gov AbdulRazaq, APC Candidate Of Using Police To Intimidate PDP’s Saheed Popoola Over Insecurity Complaints

The Restoration Movement Kwara South has raised the alarm over alleged attempts by political actors and the Kwara State Police Command to intimidate opposition figures and silence critics in the state, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to intervene.

The group alleged that the Kwara State Commissioner of Police was working with political actors, including Prince Lekan Adewoye, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate, and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to harass and silence critical voices in Kwara South.

It expressed concern over the police invitations extended to Hon. Prince Saheed Popoola, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate, and Chief Gbenga Awoyale, the Orisun of Igbomina, describing the alleged actions as attempts to suppress dissenting voices in the region.

In a press statement signed by its president, Oyinlola Femi Kayode, and dated Friday, October 23, 2026, the movement said the alleged intimidation was particularly troubling amid growing security concerns and complaints about infrastructural neglect in Kwara South.

The group maintained that Popoola should not be subjected to intimidation for speaking about the security challenges confronting his constituency, arguing that raising concerns about the welfare and safety of constituents was a legitimate responsibility of a political representative.

The statement read, “We are concerned that the Kwara State Police Command has again called in Hon. Saheed Popoola, apparently because he keeps raising the security challenges facing his constituency.

“Raising these issues is the duty of a representative, not a crime. People must not be silenced for speaking about what affects them.”

The movement further accused the police command of intimidating residents of Kwara South in recent weeks and called for an end to any action that could discourage citizens from expressing concerns about governance and security.

It noted that democracy depends on open debate, accountability and the freedom of citizens to criticise those in power without fear of arrest, detention or prosecution.

The group also expressed concern over worsening insecurity across Kwara South, claiming that communities in the region were increasingly affected by safety challenges.

According to the statement, traditional rulers in the area have struggled to enjoy stability, with reports that some have left their communities because of the security situation.

It stated that instead of addressing insecurity and complaints about inadequate infrastructure, authorities were responding to citizens who raised such concerns with arrests, detentions and prosecutions.

“A government that cannot protect its people should welcome criticism, not punish it."

The movement insisted that residents must be allowed to discuss security challenges, demand better infrastructure and hold public officials accountable without being branded troublemakers or subjected to political persecution.

It also warned that the alleged actions could undermine public confidence in security agencies, particularly if citizens begin to believe that speaking out against insecurity could expose them to harassment.

The Restoration Movement Kwara South said the concerns were particularly significant as political activities intensified ahead of the elections.

It stressed that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to speak freely, associate with others and support a political candidate of their choice.

According to the group, attempts to silence an entire region or restrict political expression would contradict democratic principles and undermine the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We are in a campaign period. Every citizen has the right to speak, to associate and to support the candidate of their choice,” it said.

“Silencing a whole zone so that it cannot discuss what affects it is not democracy.”

The movement also raised concerns about reports that some politicians were allegedly aligning with the government because of pending court cases or fear of prosecution rather than genuine political conviction.

It said that political affiliation should be based on free choice and personal conviction, warning that any attempt to compel politicians to join a ruling party through intimidation would undermine democratic competition.

The group referenced reports of an incident in Imo State involving a private hospital belonging to Emmanuel Emenike, which was raided by the police after he criticised the government.

It warned against a similar pattern of alleged intimidation in Kwara State, insisting that citizens should not suffer reprisals for expressing political opinions or criticising public officials.

The Restoration Movement Kwara South outlined six demands, urging the Inspector-General of Police to caution the Kwara State Commissioner of Police and ensure that officers remain neutral and professional in the discharge of their duties.

It also called for an investigation into all reports of harassment, unlawful arrests and intimidation involving opposition members and critics in Kwara South.

The group demanded that the state police command stop summoning citizens and public officials over their political opinions and statements concerning security challenges.

It further appealed to President Tinubu to intervene, warning that what it described as developments in Kwara should not replicate what happened in Osun State.

The movement also cautioned against the use of security agencies and the judiciary as instruments for targeting political opponents, insisting that public institutions must operate independently and in accordance with the law.

It called on governments at all levels to address insecurity and the alleged neglect of infrastructure in Kwara South rather than suppress complaints from affected communities.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful and lawful advocacy, declaring that it would continue to speak out on issues affecting the region despite the alleged intimidation.