By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the reported kidnap of Shakiru Babatunde, a Special Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke, was staged to implicate the opposition party, heat up the political atmosphere in the state and discredit the Federal Government.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi.
It alleged that Babatunde’s purported abduction was deliberately presented as a kidnapping incident before the circumstances surrounding the case were uncovered.
According to the party, some officials of the state government had announced the purported kidnap on their individual social media platforms and allegedly blamed the APC for the incident.
The opposition party further claimed that Babatunde was subsequently apprehended by police officers attached to the Dugbe Division in Osogbo after he was allegedly traced to a hideout.
The APC claimed that the aide confessed to staging the kidnap when taken into police custody.
However, reports on the incident have attributed the alleged discovery to an attempted extortion of government officials, with sources claiming that the purported abduction was uncovered after a government official contacted the police. The reports also said Babatunde was subsequently arrested at a hideout.
The APC alleged that the purported scheme was designed to portray the party as responsible for insecurity in Osun and generate public hostility towards it.
The party also alleged that the incident was intended to create a negative impression of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and undermine its political standing ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Olabisi described the development as serious and urged the Nigeria Police Force not to allow the matter to be swept under the carpet.
He appealed to the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to personally ensure that the circumstances surrounding the incident were thoroughly investigated and that anyone found culpable was dealt with according to the law.
The APC said a transparent investigation would help establish what actually happened and serve as a deterrent against the staging of false kidnapping incidents.
It also urged the police to investigate the alleged involvement of any other persons in the incident and make the outcome of the investigation known to the public.
The party’s statement comes amid reports that Babatunde, described in reports as a 26-year-old aide to Governor Adeleke, was allegedly arrested over a purported self-staged kidnapping.
The reports also said the Osun Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, denied knowledge of the arrest, while the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident remained subject to investigation.
The APC maintained that the police should be allowed to establish the facts of the case rather than allowing political considerations to determine its handling.
