…….Says the kingmaker has a case to answer.
The Integrity Youth Alliance, an organisation that has been monitoring the development trends in the Nigeria Police Force for over 15 years, has clarified a recent publication by Sahara Reporters claiming that “Nigerian Police Authorities Accused Of Arresting, Detaining Kingmaker To Enforce Imposition Of Superintendent As Osun King.”
Reacting to the publication, the Alliance’s Board Chairman, Comrade Kehinde Adewole, said that the Nigeria Police Force has the power to investigate petitions and is obligated to do so unbiasedly.
“Section 4 of the Police Act requires the police to investigate allegations in petitions impartially; therefore, the police are in order by investigating Chief Rasheed Odeyemi, the Otun Balogun of Ido-Osun, based on the petition before the AIG Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Lagos State.
“We want also to state categorically that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who is from Ogun State, has no interest in kingmakers and did not order the arrest of Chief Rasheed Odeyemi, as published by Sahara Reporters.
Adewole further said, “Information at our disposal shows that the arrest was made following a formal petition submitted by the community, alleging that some kingmakers were extorting money from individuals seeking to assume the chieftaincy position of Olojudo, and this conduct violates traditional practices and leads to biased decision-making.
“In response to the petition, detectives from the Special Inquiry Bureau at the FCID annexe in Lagos initiated an investigation. They invited the accused for questioning after reviewing the allegations outlined in the petition. During his statement, the individual confirmed receiving money as mentioned in the petition. He admitted he was not the only one involved and acknowledged paying money to secure his current position.
“Chief Rasheed Odeyemi is not the only individual arrested, and we are aware that other individuals suspected of extortion and bribery will also be invited for questioning. They will face legal charges in court as soon as the investigation concludes.
“Rather than giving Sahara Reporters a one-sided story, we are calling on concerned citizens to assist the police by providing any relevant information to ensure justice is served.
“We commend AIG Ogundele Ayodeji, psc+, AIG FCID Annex Lagos for always reaffirming the Nigeria Police Force’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and its commitment to upholding professionalism, as envisioned by the IGP.
“The Nigeria Police has no business with Oba selection; the police are tasked with preventing and detecting crime, apprehending offenders, and preserving law and order; therefore, Sahara Reporters is always mischievous with reporting on Nigeria Police.
“Dropping the name of the Inspector General of Police is becoming the norm for Sahara Reporters, and we are using the medium to call on Sahara Reporters, which claims to be an “outstanding, groundbreaking news website that encourages citizen journalists to report ongoing corruption and government malfeasance in Africa,” to stop acting opposite of what it claims to be, Adewole said.
