The National Peace Committee has identified 15 local government areas in Osun State as potential violence hotspots ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Acting through its secretariat, The Kukah Centre, the Committee urged security agencies and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to prevent electoral unrest.
The warning was contained in a Political and Security Context Analysis presented during a bilateral stakeholders’ engagement held in Osogbo on Friday.
The meeting, organised with support from the European Union under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme, brought together representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), security agencies and other key election stakeholders.
Presenting the report, Project Manager of The Kukah Centre, Vicham Hajara Waziri, said the assessment identified organised political violence, institutional tensions, electoral offences and the spread of misinformation as major threats capable of undermining the credibility and peaceful conduct of the election.
According to the report, Osogbo and Irewole local government areas fall within the critical violence-risk category, while Iwo, Boripe, Ife Central and Ife East were classified as high-risk areas.
The remaining identified local government areas were placed under the moderate-risk category, bringing the total number of monitored councils considered vulnerable to election-related violence to 15.
Also speaking at an earlier training programme, a Project Manager of The Kukah Centre, Asabe Ndahi, said the risk assessment was based on security data gathered over the past six weeks through the centre’s Election Security Information Hub in Abuja.
She explained that field observers deployed across Osun State documented security incidents and political developments, providing intelligence that informed the classification of the affected local government areas.
“We are here to present the findings from our Election Security Information Hub and obtain feedback from security agencies on measures they intend to implement as preparations for the election continue,” Ndahi said.
“Based on our data, about 15 local government areas fall within the critical, high and moderate risk categories. Osogbo and Irewole are currently classified under the critical risk index because of the security incidents recorded over the past six weeks.”
She added that other councils, including Iwo, Boripe, Ife Central and Ife East, also require close monitoring due to emerging flashpoints capable of escalating before election day.
Ndahi said the engagement with security agencies was aimed at developing coordinated strategies to reduce security threats, safeguard voters and create an environment that would encourage citizens to participate freely in the election.
Participants at the stakeholders’ meeting reviewed the findings of the security assessment and reaffirmed their commitment to working together to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
They also appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters and residents of the state to shun violence, respect democratic principles and conduct their campaigns peacefully.
Earlier, The Kukah Centre organised a training workshop for 45 field observers who will monitor election security and compliance across Osun State ahead of the governorship election.
Speaking during the training, Waziri disclosed that the observers were drawn from all 30 local government areas of the state.
She explained that additional observers would be deployed to local government areas identified as high-risk to strengthen surveillance, improve reporting and provide timely information on election-related security developments.
