Osun Speaker contradicts police on SSG arrest, alleges retaliation

Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Egbedun has presented a starkly different account of the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, challenging the version provided by the state police command. Egbedun accused the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of allegedly ordering Igbalaye's arrest as a retaliatory measure after being booed at a public event.

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The abuse of power involved should be a source of concern and embarrassment to every patriotic Nigerian.

According to Egbedun, he witnessed the incident at an Independent National Electoral Commission stakeholders' meeting. He stated that Commissioner Gotan was booed by citizens, and immediately after returning to his seat, Igbalaye, who was also present, laughed. Egbedun claims he observed Gotan then make phone calls, predicting that the SSG's arrest was imminent, a prediction he said materialized within minutes.

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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.

Igbalaye later informed the Speaker that he had been summoned to the State Criminal Investigation Department over allegations of N4 million and two voter cards being recovered from his compound. Egbedun expressed disbelief that such an allegation would warrant the detention or attempted arrest of a public official of Igbalaye's standing.

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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.

This account directly contradicts the Osun Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi. Ojelabi had stated that the police acted on intelligence regarding criminal gangs and electoral offenses, leading to the recovery of N4,810,500, two Permanent Voter’s Cards, and a voter register. The police also reported arresting six suspects and dismissed claims of mass arrests.

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He informed me that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) because the police allegedly recovered N4 million and two voter cards belonging to members of his political party who were holding a meeting within his compound.