…raises the alarm of plot by police to arrest him, too
Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, on Thursday, advanced what he termed the real reason the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan ordered the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye.
This is just Egbedun raised the alarm that the police in state were plotting to implicate and arrest him, too.
He claimed to have since received intelligence of the alleged plot by the state police commissioner to arrest him, too.
However, the Speaker’s account of the arrest of the SSG contradicts the version given by the state Police Public Relations Officer.
According to Egbedun, the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, ordered Igbalaye’s arrest in retaliation for his being booed earlier at a public event.
The Speaker said the abuse of power involved “should be a source of concern and embarrassment to every patriotic Nigerian.”
Egbedun, in a personally signed statement on Thursday, said he witnessed the circumstances that led to the SSG’s arrest at an Independent National Electoral Commission stakeholders’ meeting he attended alongside the Deputy Governor and Igbalaye.
“We all witnessed the unfortunate moment when Commissioner Gotan was booed while on the podium by citizens of Osun State. Immediately he returned to his seat, he looked directly towards us. At that moment, the SSG laughed,” he said.
Egbedun said he became uncomfortable after watching Gotan reach for his phone.
“The next thing I observed was Commissioner Gotan picking up his telephone and making a series of calls. From what I saw, I turned to the SSG and said, The Commissioner of Police has just ordered your arrest,” he said.
The Speaker said his prediction of the SSG’s arrest played out within minutes.
“A few minutes later, the SSG received a telephone call informing him that police officers were waiting for him at his residence. He immediately stood up and left the event, leaving the Deputy Governor and me behind,” he said.
He said Igbalaye later told him he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department over items allegedly recovered from his compound.
The Speaker added, “He informed me that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) because the police allegedly recovered N4 million and two voter cards belonging to members of his political party who were holding a meeting within his compound.
“I honestly do not understand how such an allegation justified inviting, or attempting to arrest, a public official of his standing.”
But the police in Osun had given a different account of the raid.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, had said officers acted on intelligence that criminal gangs were hiding out in Osogbo and recovered N4,810,500, two Permanent Voter’s Cards, a voter register and other items suspected to be linked to electoral offences.
He said only six suspects, all adults, were arrested, dismissing claims by the Adeleke campaign that dozens more had been picked up.
Gotan has also pushed back on calls for his removal, according to Ojelabi, saying the decision on his posting rests with the Inspector-General of Police and not with him.
Egbedun said the SSG’s arrest was not an isolated incident, citing a personal experience with Gotan that he said should help the public understand his concerns.
He said, “We received credible intelligence that some thugs were planning to attack my residence. My security personnel and I remained on high alert in anticipation of the attack.
“However, to my greatest surprise, my police orderly received a call from Commissioner Gotan directing that every police officer attached to me should report to his office for questioning that very day.”
The Speaker said he confronted Gotan directly over the incident.
He added, “I immediately telephoned the Commissioner and told him that I am a proud son of Onikoyi, and that I neither fear nor bow to intimidation.
“I made it abundantly clear that I would never abandon my state or my ancestral home because of anyone, particularly someone I regard as a stranger. I also reminded him that, ultimately, every act of wrongdoing attracts its own consequences.”
Egbedun however raised the alarm that he had since received intelligence that some officers under Gotan were plotting to implicate and arrest him too.
The Speaker alleged, “For the past two weeks, I have received information suggesting that some of his officers have been moving around, allegedly planning and strategising on how to implicate and arrest me.
“Many people have advised me to leave Osun State or vacate my residence for my own safety. However, I have consistently maintained that I will not abandon Osun for anyone.”
Egbedun said he remained undeterred.
“If those behind these alleged plans decide to carry them out, I remain resolute in my belief that justice will ultimately prevail and that evil will never triumph over righteousness,” he said.
The Speaker appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to intervene.
He said “I, therefore, make a sincere appeal to the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene and relieve the people of Osun State of what I consider the hardship and intimidation they have endured under the leadership of Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan.
“The people of Osun are peaceful, law-abiding citizens who deserve policing that is professional, impartial and respectful of the rule of law.”
