Osun State Police Commissioner, Olawale Olokode, has warned politicians in the state not to drag the police command into bitter politics, saying the force is not an appendage of any political party.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, faction loyal to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had last Friday, called for the transfer of the Police Commissioner on the ground of siding the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s faction of the party to deal with its members, as well as ignoring the group’s various petitions.
However, Olokode while addressing journalists in his office on Sunday, said the police in the state has been fair to all factions in the party and petitions submitted investigated while some are still being investigated.
He adds, “We want to warn politicians to do their politics without dragging the Force into it. The Osun State Police Command is never and will never be an appendage of any political party or group and our actions and activities have shown such.
“I wish to state that we have been working on every petition received. The latest one that has to do with the SUBEB Chairman came to my knowledge recently, and our State Criminal Investigation Department under a Deputy Commissioner is seriously working on it. The petitioners came a couple of days ago, and they were assured of our readiness to get to the root of the matter.
“It is also pertinent to state that the recent attack on some APC members in Ikirun, Ifelodun local government was thoroughly investigated, and those suspected to be behind the crime were arrested.
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“Among those arrested are two members of the TOP group, one from IleriOluwa and two persons who confirmed not to be politicians at all. They were all charged to court, and at no point did my office interfere with the investigation. So no persecution or de-humanization at any point.
“I wish to add that no meeting we were invited to and refused to attend. We do attend programmes when invited and I have personally led my men to some of such meetings. Those I can remember vividly was the commissioning of computer sets at Muslim Grammar School, Ilesha, in January 14, this year. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, surprised by my presence, made some comments and advice about our operations. Another one was at Zenabab Hotel and Resorts on 6 June, 2021, when an Awolowo Center for Philosophy was honouring the Minister at 64”.
The CP added that though the command was not informed of any meeting at the Oranmiyan House, but upon getting the alert of disruption of law and order, personnel were mobilised to the scene to curtail the crisis, adding all allegations against him were mere fabrications.
“I, therefore, want to say that all allegations against me, my personality and the command are fallacies and far from the truth”, he said.
