The Imole Campaign Council, which is leading the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday alleged that the state police command had drawn up a list of 46 people, including a serving commissioner, to be arrested ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the Deputy Director-General of the campaign council, Kolapo Alimi, said those allegedly marked for arrest are mainly from Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area of the state.
Alimi alleged that the Commissioner for Energy, Ademola Adeyemo, topped the list of those marked for arrest.
He also alleged that a chieftain of the Accord Party in Ikire, Taofeek Akinyemi, who was reportedly shot by hoodlums, was arrested and detained after reporting the incident to the police.
The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment further accused an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps of working with the opposition to facilitate the mass arrest of Accord Party members in Ikire as part of an alleged plot to disrupt the party’s campaign activities in the area.
“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,” Alimi said.
According to him, those allegedly listed for arrest include Ademola Adeyemo, Idris Idowu Jooda, Pastor Paul Akinola, Mukaila Yusuf, Dr Kazeem Atoba, Yesiru Olaniyi, Alhaji Olokeola, Wale Olunloye, Taye Adeyemo, Moshood Jolaiya, Lere Ogungbade, Kola Akinpelu, Tiri Adepoju and Pastor Femi Oladiran, among others.
Alimi demanded the immediate release of Akinyemi or his arraignment in court.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to direct the Osun State Police Command, the State Criminal Investigation Department and special squads from Abuja to stop what he described as the arbitrary arrest and harassment of opposition leaders, including those allegedly marked for transfer to Abuja.
He further urged the Force Headquarters to review the deployment of security personnel to Osun ahead of the election to ensure that only professional, neutral and impartial officers are deployed.
Responding, the Osun State Police Command dismissed the allegations.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said operatives would continue to raid criminal hideouts across the state to protect lives and property.
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.
“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.
“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.”