The campaign team of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of supporters allegedly arrested ahead of the state’s governorship election, accusing the Nigeria Police Force of targeting members of the Accord Party.
Addressing journalists after a visit to the Force Intelligence Response Team headquarters in Abuja, the campaign’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, alleged that more than 86 members had been arrested across Osun State and detained without any lawful basis.
He claimed the arrests were politically motivated and designed to intimidate opposition supporters ahead of the poll.
Olajengbesi said, “We have just come out of the IRT office. In the last two to three days, over 86 people, members of our party, have been arrested for no reason. These people were brought by road to Abuja and detained here unnecessarily.
“We have met with the leadership of the police, and they cannot provide any explanation to us. There is no petition against them. These people have committed no offence.”
Olajengbesi further alleged that 36 of the detainees had been transferred to the Keffi Correctional Centre, while 14 others were taken to the Kuje Custodial Centre despite not being charged with any offence.
“Today, having visited our people in detention, we discovered that 36 have been taken to Keffi, 14 have been taken to Kuje, for no reason, for no single offence committed. This must not continue,” he said.
The campaign spokesman also claimed that the Osun State Commissioner of Police had compromised the integrity of the electoral process.
“There is a need for us to have a free, credible election. The Commissioner of Police in Osun State is completely compromised. If he is allowed to conduct the election, the election is already compromised,” he alleged.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and ensure a level playing field ahead of the election.
“We want the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that there is a free and fair election in Osun State. The police should do their job. People must be allowed to exercise their franchise and vote for the candidate of their choice,” he said.
Olajengbesi also alleged that the Secretary to the Osun State Government had been arrested while sensitising residents about the election, adding that several other party leaders were picked up without justification.
However, the Osun State Police Command dismissed the allegations, insisting that only six suspects were arrested.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, told PUNCH Online that, contrary to the campaign’s claims, the suspects were all adults and were apprehended based on credible intelligence.
“Just six persons were arrested. All adults. The youngest among them should be 40 years. Six persons were arrested, not 56,” the police spokesperson said.
He also denied allegations that security operatives invaded the residences of government officials.
“The police did not invade the houses of commissioners. They only went based on information. They arrested these people in the house of the SSG,” he added.
Reacting to the campaign’s demand for the removal of the Commissioner of Police, the spokesman said the decision was beyond the officer.
“The CP himself has responded to that. He said it is their choice. He’s not the one to remove himself. He was posted there by the Inspector-General of Police,” he said.