‘Call Osun Police CP To Order’, Governor Adeleke Tells IGP

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has asked the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to call the Osun State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Gothan, to order over alleged the arrest and unlawful detention of people in the state.

The governor also demanded immediate release of one of his aides, Abiodun Adegoke Apesin, who has been repeatedly denied bail over a defamatory petition affecting the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji.

The governor in a statement issued in Osogbo and signed by his Spokesman, Mr Olawale Raheed, on Monday, decried the continuous detention of Mr Apesin as a breach of his fundamental human rights especially as the said offence to the subject of the petition – the governorship candidate – is a non-capital offence which is bailable under the Nigerian law.

The governor wondered why police would deny bail on two separate occasions despite compliance with the conditions set by the police, including producing Level 10 and Level 12 officials, calling the situation an “unacceptable partisan conduct” by the State Police Command.

While calling on the IGP to direct the Commissioner of Police to order the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Apesin, the governor cautioned the police against becoming a tool in the hands of political players as it would undermine peace and security of the state.

“One of my aides, Mr Adegoke has been detained for more than five days now. He has not been charged to court and he has been refused bail on two occasions. That is a fundamental breach of the law and the constitution.

“The Osun Police Command seems to be losing every sense of professionalism since Mr Gothan resumed as CP in Osun. Police now detain for as long as they want without granting bail or charging suspects to court, and in most cases, the abuse of rights of citizens is based on the verbal petition or instructions of opposition political leaders.

“I therefore demand unconditional and immediate release of Mr Adegoke and an end to the systematic harassment of my media aides who are functioning within the confines of the law and the constitution. Before Mr Adegoke, another one of my aides, Mr. Iyiola Monsuru was detained. Both of them were arrested without the Police extending a formal invitation to them.

“The police command should not give the impression or conduct itself in ways and manners that will mark it as serving the political interest of APC and its chieftains. The police should be impartial and non-partisan and serve the interest of all Nigerians within the confers of the law,” the governor was quoted as saying.