By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the State Police Command for the arrest of Saheed Oyeyemi Adedeji, alleged to be a thug working for Accord party
It demanded a thorough investigation and prosecution of the suspect and anyone and others found culpable.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, the APC described the arrest as a demonstration of the police command’s readiness to curb violence and the proliferation of illegal weapons ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
According to the party, Adedeji was arrested in Osogbo with military uniforms, pump-action rifles and ammunition after he allegedly engaged police operatives in a gun duel.
The APC further claimed that three police officers sustained gunshot injuries during the operation and are receiving treatment.
The party also referred to a statement by the Osun State Police Command which identified the suspect as an appointee of Governor Ademola Adeleke and a Personal Assistant to Nurudeen Wakili, the recently removed chairman of the Osun Park Management System.
It alleged that during interrogation, the suspect made statements implicating other individuals, including Nurudeen Alowonle and several other persons it described as political thugs, and urged the police to pursue the investigation wherever the evidence leads.
“We are commending the efforts of the state police command in ridding the state of undesirable elements before the forthcoming governorship election. We are also pleading with the command not to relent in making the state safe by ensuring that those who are fugitives from justice are brought to book,” the statement read.
The opposition party further alleged that some officials within the Adeleke administration were making efforts to secure the suspect’s release, a claim for which it provided no evidence.
It therefore called for what it described as a comprehensive investigation, insisting that everyone allegedly mentioned by the suspect should be invited and investigated irrespective of political affiliation or social status.
The APC also renewed its criticism of Governor Adeleke over previous comments concerning the conduct of the Commissioner of Police, alleging that the governor was dissatisfied because the police leadership had refused to compromise in enforcing the law
The party further accused the governor of shielding political hoodlums from arrest, an allegation that was not substantiated in the statement.
It urged the police to remain professional and impartial in handling the case as political activities intensify ahead of the governorship election.
The allegations contained in the APC statement have not been independently verified, and no official response had been issued by the Osun State Government or the Accord Party at the time of filing this report.
