The Osun State Government has raised the alarm over what it described as “systematic invasion, attacks and bursting of homes” of top government officials by the Osun State Police Command, with the latest being the raid on the residence of the Secretary to the State Government.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the government said the SSG’s residence was “bursted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations” while family members of the SSG were “taken to unknown destinations.”
“As at the time the SSG house was invaded, his ward officials were holding meeting within the compound while the SSG himself was attending the stakeholders forum organised by the National Electoral Commission,” the statement noted.
The government said the operation followed similar raids on the homes of other top officials.
“The gestapo operations on the SSG residence followed a similar raid and arrest at the residences of about six commissioners and other top functionaries of the government,” it said.
It cited a specific incident: “The police had yesterday raided the residence of the Commissioner for Energy at Ikire, ransacking the building and destroying several properties.”
According to the statement, “Five other commissioners have reported their houses being shadowed and others bursted even when nothing illegal happened in their abodes.”
The government also alleged that “several Accord members are languishing in CID cells at the State Command without being granted bail.”
Condemning the actions, the government accused the police of partisanship.
“These raids on the SSG and our commissioners are an aggravated assault on the government and people of Osun state. This campaign of repression constitutes grave danger to democracy. It is a reprehensible unprofessional conduct by the police in support of the state APC,” the statement said.
It added: “By openly launching attacks on Osun government officials, the state police command has again confirmed its partiality, its partisanship and its becoming a direct tool in the hands of Osun APC. This is a law enforcement agency becoming lawless and acting against the spirit and letters of the constitution.”
The government warned that the timing of the raids was concerning as “the national chairman of INEC is meeting stakeholders.”
“The police has become a major threat to the conduct of free and fair election in Osun state,” it stated.
The government called on relevant authorities to intervene.
“We again call the attention of our traditional rulers, the Nigeria Police Service, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to this escalation of targeted violence against top government officials and Accord members in Osun state. This must be stopped before it escalate into general breakdown of law and order,” it said.
It further noted: “Our governor has consistently tasked the populace to calm down and not to take law into their own hands. The situation is reaching a boiling point. We must save our democracy from this lawless elements within the Nigerian police.”
_Signed:_
_Oluomo Kolapo Alimi_
_Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment._