Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in what he described as unlawful arrests and prolonged detentions by the Osun State Police Command.
In a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo and signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor called on the IGP to rein in the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gothan, over what he termed repeated violations of citizens’ rights, including the continued detention of one of his aides, Abiodun Adegoke Apesin.
Governor Adeleke demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Adegoke, who he said has been denied bail twice despite meeting all bail conditions. Mr Adegoke was reportedly arrested following a defamation petition linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
According to the governor, the offence in question is non-capital and bailable under Nigerian law, making the refusal of bail and prolonged detention a clear breach of constitutional rights.
He criticized the police for what he described as “unacceptable partisan conduct,” questioning why bail was refused even after senior civil servants at levels 10 and 12 were produced as sureties.
“One of my aides has been detained for over five days without being charged to court and has been denied bail twice. This is a fundamental violation of the law and the Constitution,” the governor said.
Governor Adeleke further alleged that professionalism within the Osun Police Command has declined since the appointment of Mr Gothan as commissioner, accusing the command of detaining suspects arbitrarily and acting on verbal petitions or political instructions from opposition figures.
He also claimed that his media aides are being systematically harassed, noting that another aide, Iyiola Monsuru, had previously been detained under similar circumstances. He added that both aides were arrested without formal police invitations.
The governor warned the police against actions that could portray the command as partisan, stressing that law enforcement agencies must remain neutral and serve all Nigerians within the confines of the law.
“The police should not conduct themselves in ways that suggest they are serving the political interests of the APC or its leaders,” he said, urging the IGP to restore professionalism and ensure impartial policing in the state.
