Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (rtd.), has called for the arrest and prosecution of politicians, religious figures and others whose public statements could incite violence.
Irabor made the call on Channels Television on Thursday, August 13, against the backdrop of heightened political tension ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
His comments followed the controversy surrounding Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, after a viral video showed the lawmaker allegedly urging supporters to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s election.
Fadahunsi has since said the “Kill Accord” remark was metaphorical and intended to urge APC supporters to defeat the party at the ballot box.
However, Irabor said statements capable of provoking violence should attract immediate action from law enforcement authorities, regardless of the status of the person making them.
The former CDS said, “For me as a person, any time we hear individuals making inciting comments, I think that such people should be picked up immediately, and that is why I am glad that even though the statement made by Senator Fadahunsi is a political one, but I think that it also borders on incitement to violence.
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“I think the police have done the right thing by inviting him, and he should be questioned even beyond that.”
Irabor also called for action against Islamic clerics Sani Jingir and Ahmad Gumi over statements he described as potentially inciting.
He specifically referred to recent comments attributed to Jingir in defence of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and his wider advocacy on religious issues.
“Added to that is of course the Sheikh in Kano, Sheikh Jingir, who also made some comments which of course I believe are also inciting, that could also add to the bouquet of threats that we have.
“He also should be arrested and I also believe that the various comments that someone like Gumi has been making also demands that he be called not just to order but of course invited and arrested in other to let the populace know that there is nobody who is above the law and then when you say things that are not right you should be called in to answer,” the former service chief added.
Irabor’s remarks come as authorities face increasing pressure to respond to inflammatory statements by political and religious figures ahead of the Osun governorship election and the wider 2027 political season.