The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has challenged the account given by the Osun State Police Command on the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, alleging that the action was motivated by personal retaliation rather than the reasons officially stated by the police.
Egbedun accused the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of ordering the SSG’s arrest after he was booed by members of the public during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Speaker made the allegation in a personally signed statement issued on Thursday.
Egbedun said he attended the INEC stakeholders’ meeting alongside the Deputy Governor and Igbalaye, where the incident that allegedly led to the arrest occurred.
According to him, the commissioner was jeered by attendees while addressing the gathering before returning to his seat.
“We all witnessed the unfortunate moment when Commissioner Gotan was booed while on the podium by citizens of Osun State. Immediately he returned to his seat, he looked directly towards us. At that moment, the SSG laughed,” Egbedun said.
He described the development as an abuse of power that should concern Nigerians.
The Speaker said he became suspicious after seeing the police commissioner make several telephone calls shortly after the incident.
“The next thing I observed was Commissioner Gotan picking up his telephone and making a series of calls. From what I saw, I turned to the SSG and said, ‘The Commissioner of Police has just ordered your arrest,’” he stated.
Egbedun said his suspicion was confirmed minutes later when Igbalaye received a telephone call informing him that police officers were waiting for him at his residence.
“A few minutes later, the SSG received a telephone call informing him that police officers were waiting for him at his residence. He immediately stood up and left the event, leaving the Deputy Governor and me behind,” he added.
SSG Invited Over Recovered Items – Speaker
The Speaker said Igbalaye later informed him that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following allegations that police recovered cash and voter cards from his residence.
Egbedun said, “He informed me that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) because the police allegedly recovered ₦4 million and two voter cards belonging to members of his political party who were holding a meeting within his compound.
“I honestly do not understand how such an allegation justified inviting, or attempting to arrest, a public official of his standing.”
The Speaker maintained that the circumstances surrounding the arrest contradicted the explanation earlier given by the Osun State Police Command and called the incident an abuse of power that should be of concern to every patriotic Nigerian.
