The spokesperson for the Accord Party Governorship Campaign Council in Osun State, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has alleged that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Olatunji Disu ordered the continued detention of a party member, Popoola Alaba, despite investigators allegedly finding no evidence linking him to any offence.
Olajengbesi made the allegation during an interview on ARISE News while reacting to Alaba’s arrest amid political tensions ahead of the Osun governorship election.
According to him, the allegations levelled against Alaba, particularly claims that he was arrested with firearms, were not supported by investigators handling the case.
“Those allegations are embarrassing to the knowledge of the Nigerian Police. The man that was arrested was arrested with nothing. He was arrested at the point where he was sensitising his supporters,” Olajengbesi said.
He argued that if the police genuinely recovered firearms or any incriminating items from the suspect, such evidence should have been made public.
“The Nigerian Police should have ordinarily come out and shown to the public the evidence or whatever material they had relating to possession of firearms,” he added.
Olajengbesi further claimed that members of the campaign council met with officers handling the investigation, who allegedly informed them that there was no petition against Alaba and that nothing incriminating was recovered from him.
“We’ve met with the officers in charge of the investigation and they have said to us that there’s no petition against the man and nothing was found on him, but it is just very unfortunate that they have instructions from the Inspector-General of Police to detain him until further notice,” he alleged.
Describing the development as troubling, the Accord Party spokesman called on the Nigeria Police Force and the media to publicly disclose any evidence supporting the allegations against Alaba.
“That’s a sad experience we have today in Osun State and I challenge the Nigerian Police, and I challenge the press, to investigate or come out and show to the public the firearms or the unlawful possession they claimed they found with him,” he said.
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Osun poll: ‘IGP ordered our party member’s detention’ — Accord Party alleges