The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, has accused the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, of abusing his office, alleging that the police chief ordered the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, during the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders' meeting in Osogbo.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Egbedun alleged that he, the Deputy Governor and the SSG were seated together throughout the meeting and witnessed the Commissioner of Police being booed by some attendees while addressing the gathering.

According to the Speaker, shortly after returning to his seat, the commissioner allegedly made several telephone calls, prompting him to suspect that an order had been issued for the SSG's arrest.

Egbedun said the SSG later received a telephone call informing him that police officers were waiting at his residence, forcing him to leave the meeting. He added that the SSG subsequently informed him that he had been invited to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations that police recovered ₦4 million and two voter cards from individuals holding a political meeting within his compound.

The Speaker questioned the basis for inviting or attempting to arrest the SSG over the allegations, describing the action as unjustified.

Egbedun also recounted what he described as a personal encounter with the police commissioner, alleging that despite intelligence reports of a planned attack on his residence by suspected political thugs, the commissioner ordered police officers attached to him to report to the police headquarters for questioning.

 

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He claimed he rejected what he described as intimidation and insisted he would neither leave Osun State nor abandon his residence because of perceived threats.

The Speaker further alleged that some police officers under the commissioner's command had been making efforts to implicate and arrest him in recent weeks, adding that he had received advice from associates to leave the state for his safety.

Despite the alleged threats, Egbedun maintained that he would remain in Osun, expressing confidence that justice would prevail.

He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to intervene, alleging that the leadership of the Osun State Police Command under Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan had subjected residents to intimidation and hardship.

The Speaker urged the police hierarchy to ensure that policing in Osun State remains professional, impartial and guided by the rule of law.

As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Police Command had not issued an official response to the allegations raised by the Speaker.