The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, has alleged that the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, was politically motivated, accusing the state’s Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of abusing his office.
Egbedun made the allegation in a statement posted on his X account while reacting to the police operation that led to the arrest of the SSG and several other suspects in Osogbo on Wednesday.
The Osun State Police Command had earlier confirmed that the arrests followed an operation linked to an alleged vote-buying investigation. According to the police, officers acted on credible intelligence about a criminal gang allegedly operating around the Oroki Estate area of Osogbo. During the operation, security operatives said they recovered millions of naira, electoral materials and other exhibits.
Giving his version of events, the Speaker claimed that he, the Deputy Governor and the SSG attended an INEC stakeholders’ meeting together and remained seated throughout the programme.
He alleged that Commissioner Gotan was booed by members of the public while addressing participants at the meeting and that the incident appeared to trigger the events that followed.
According to Egbedun, the SSG laughed after the commissioner returned to his seat, after which the police boss allegedly made a series of phone calls.
“From what I saw, I turned to the SSG and said, ‘The Commissioner of Police has just ordered your arrest,'” the Speaker claimed.
He said a few minutes later, Igbalaye received a call informing him that police officers were waiting at his residence. The SSG then left the meeting immediately.
Egbedun added that Igbalaye later informed him that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after police allegedly recovered N4 million and two Permanent Voter Cards belonging to members of his political party who were holding a meeting within his compound.
The Speaker questioned the basis for inviting the SSG, insisting that the allegation did not justify such action against a senior government official.
Egbedun also accused the police commissioner of previously attempting to withdraw security personnel attached to him despite intelligence that suspected political thugs planned to attack his residence.
He claimed the commissioner instructed all police officers assigned to his security to report to his office for questioning on the same day the alleged threat emerged.
The lawmaker said he refused to be intimidated and insisted he would not leave Osun State because of what he described as harassment.
He further alleged that some police officers had been plotting to implicate and arrest him over the past two weeks, claiming several people had advised him to relocate for his safety.
Calling for intervention, Egbedun appealed to the Inspector General of Police to redeploy Commissioner Gotan, alleging that the police chief’s actions had created fear and tension in the state.
He maintained that the people of Osun deserved policing that is professional, impartial and guided by the rule of law.
The Osun State Police Command has yet to respond to the Speaker’s allegations.
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