By Shina Abubakar
The All Progressives Congress APC in Osun State has berated Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration over attempt to heat up the polity with fake kidnap of an aide of the governor, Shakiru Babatunde and blame on its on the party.
The APC, in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Information Kola Olabisi on Wednesday, urged the police not to succumb to pressure from government officials to bury the matter, saying the arrested suspect must face the law.
“We gathered that the intention of the kidnap conspirators was to demonize the Osun State APC and incite the public against them as well and criminalise the Federal Government of President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu as a failed administration under whose nose criminality has festered.
“The obnoxious intention is to undermine the chances of President Tinubu to earn a re-election in January 2027.
“It is a criminal offence for anyone to fake his or her kidnapping. The offender upon conviction is liable to 10-20 years imprisonment. It is unfortunate that this is a grave offence some officials of the state government in collusion with pliable security agents want to sweep under the carpet.
“We are appealing to the state Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to pay a particular attention to this case to serve as a deterrent to future criminal act”, the party added.
However Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson Olawale Rasheed in a statement debunked claims that government officials are trying to sweep the matter under the carpet, saying government is supporting police investigation.
He added that government reported the said kidnap to the police at first instance, hence, there is no reason to block or prevent investigation in the matter.
“We categorically denied the fake news that there were attempts by the state officials to bribe the police to sweep the matter under the carpet. Such reports are unfounded and baseless conjectures.
“Nobody in the government is attempting to bribe the police and the police have not received any kobo from state officials as libelously asserted in a publication.
“The police are currently investigating the matter while the state government is also waiting for the outcome of the investigation for further action.
“We therefore call on members of the public to ignore any misinformation designed to tarnish the image of state officials or the police as relevant police units are currently investigating the entire episode”, he added.
Vanguard News
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