The Imole Campaign Council, coordinating the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday accused the state police command of planning to arrest 46 individuals ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Naijaonpoint reports that the campaign council alleged that those targeted included a serving commissioner and prominent political figures, most of whom are based in Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, the council’s Deputy Director-General, Kolapo Alimi, claimed that the Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, was at the top of the alleged arrest list.
Alimi, who is also the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, further alleged that an Accord Party chieftain in Ikire, Taofeek Akinyemi, was detained after reporting an attack in which he was reportedly shot by suspected hoodlums.
The campaign council accused some security operatives of working with political opponents to weaken the Accord Party’s structure and disrupt its campaign activities before the election.
Alimi specifically alleged that an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was collaborating with opposition politicians to facilitate the arrest of party members in Ikire.
He said, “Even more alarming are the credible security reports reaching the leadership of the Imole Campaign Council regarding a coordinated ‘hit list’ drawn up by political opponents in collusion with compromised security operatives.
“Several leaders of the Accord Party and prominent opposition figures have been ‘penned down’ for systematic, unlawful arrests in the days leading up to the election.
“Specifically, we have confirmed information that the following individuals, 46 in number, have been marked for arbitrary arrest, harassment and forcible transfer to Abuja to keep them out of circulation during the election.”
Among those allegedly targeted were Adeyemo, Idris Idowu Jooda, Pastor Paul Akinola, Mukaila Yusuf, Kazeem Atoba, Yesiru Olaniyi, Alhaji Olokeola and Wale Olunloye.
Others named included Taye Adeyemo, Moshood Jolaiya, Lere Ogungbade, Kola Akinpelu, Tiri Adepoju and Pastor Femi Oladiran.
Alimi called for the immediate release of Akinyemi or his prompt arraignment before a court if the police had evidence of wrongdoing against him.
He also urged the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to direct the Osun State Police Command, the State Criminal Investigation Department and special police teams deployed from Abuja to stop what he described as the intimidation of opposition politicians.
The campaign council further asked the Force Headquarters to review the deployment of security personnel for the election.
It said only officers considered professional, impartial and politically neutral should be assigned to election duties in the state.
Police Deny Existence Of Arrest List
Responding to the allegations, the Osun State Police Command denied compiling a list of politicians or individuals for arrest.
The command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said police operations across the state were focused on criminal hideouts and known black spots as part of preparations for a peaceful election.
Ojelabi said, “We are raiding black spots and criminal hideouts every day to sanitise the environment for the forthcoming election, and this raid is not targeted at any individual, group of persons or political party.
“It is targeted at criminal hideouts. We don’t have any list anywhere; the police do not formulate any list.”
He explained that the command relied on available criminal records and intelligence when conducting raids.
He added, “We are only working with criminal records that we have and constantly raiding black spots and criminal hideouts.
“We have advised parents to warn their children to avoid late-night movements and to avoid associating with those who have criminal records. There is no way they will not implicate them.”
Ojelabi also said the state government had earlier promised to establish a joint task force to support security operations ahead of the election.
According to him, the involvement of other security agencies would prevent the impression that the police were acting alone or deliberately targeting particular individuals.
He said, “The government has also promised to set up a joint task force, and that would have helped a lot, so it won’t be the police alone.
“But since then, we have not seen anything from them. Maybe it will come up tomorrow, so it won’t appear that the police are acting alone or have some people in mind.”
