The Osun State Government has accused the state police command of invading the residence of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Teslim Igbalaiye, without a search warrant and arresting people found on the premises.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday in Osogbo.
Alimi claimed that a combined team of police officers, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, stormed the residence and took members of the SSG’s family to undisclosed locations.
The commissioner described the operation as part of an alleged pattern of raids on the homes of senior government officials.
The statement reads, “The Osun State Government has raised alarm over systematic invasion, attacks and bursting of homes of top Osun State government officials by the Osun State Police Command without proper search warrant, with the latest being the invasion of the house of the Secretary to the State Government.
“The SSG’s residence was bursted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations.
“The gestapo operations on the SSG residence followed a similar raid and arrest at the residences of about six commissioners and other top functionaries of the government.”
Alimi said Igbalaiye was attending a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when the police operation took place.
According to him, ward officials were holding a meeting within the compound at the time.
“As at the time the SSG house was invaded, his ward officials were holding a meeting within the compound, while the SSG himself was attending the stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he said.
Commissioner Alleges Property Damage
The state government also alleged that police operatives raided the residence of the Commissioner for Energy in Ikire on Tuesday.
Alimi claimed that the officers searched the building and damaged several properties during the operation.
He added that five other commissioners had reported that their residences were being monitored, while some homes had allegedly been raided despite no unlawful activity taking place there.
The commissioner further alleged that several members of the Accord Party had been detained at the Criminal Investigation Department of the state police command and denied bail.
“Following several raids and arrests, reports at the disposal of the government indicated that several Accord members are languishing in CID cells at the state command without being granted bail,” he said.
Alimi described the operations as an attack on the state government and accused the police command of acting in support of the All Progressives Congress.
“These raids on the SSG and our commissioners are an aggravated assault on the government and people of Osun State. This campaign of repression constitutes grave danger to democracy. It is a reprehensible, unprofessional conduct by the police in support of the state APC,” he stated.
The government further alleged that the police command had compromised its neutrality ahead of elections in the state.
“By openly launching attacks on Osun government officials, the state police command has again confirmed its partiality, its partisanship and its becoming a direct tool in the hands of Osun APC.
“This is a law enforcement agency becoming lawless and acting against the spirit and letters of the constitution,” the statement added.
Government Seeks Tinubu, IGP’s Intervention
The commissioner said the alleged raids occurred while the INEC chairman was meeting political stakeholders, warning that the development could threaten the conduct of a credible election.
“The police has become a major threat to the conduct of free and fair election in Osun State,” he alleged.
The state government called on traditional rulers, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser and President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
“We again call the attention of our traditional rulers, the Nigeria Police Service, the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to this escalation of targeted violence against top government officials and Accord members in Osun State.
“This must be stopped before it escalates into a general breakdown of law and order,” Alimi said.
