Six days to Osun election: 18 ‘killed’ as fears of more violence mount

•Osogbo, Ede, Ife, Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu, Ikire emerge as flashpoints

•Deployment of 15,000 policemen divides stakeholders

By Shina Abubakar

Fresh fears of further violence have gripped Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with the two major opposition parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Accord Party, claiming to have lost a combined 18 members in the build-up to the poll.

The development has heightened concerns over the safety of voters, political parties and election officials as the state prepares for the governorship election, with the deployment of 15,000 policemen generating divergent reactions among political parties and civil society organisations.