Police investigating alleged self kidnap of Gov Adeleke’s aide – State Government
The Osun State Police Command has commenced investigation into the reported abduction of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s media aide, Shakiru Babatunde, amid allegations that the incident may have been staged to obtain money from government officials.
The development was disclosed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement made available in Osogbo on Wednesday.
The investigation followed a media report alleging that Babatunde staged his own kidnap and contacted government officials through a third party to demand ransom.
According to the report, the alleged incident occurred in Ede, Osun State, last week, with Babatunde said to have remained at a hideout during the purported abduction.
The report further alleged that the matter came to light after a government official contacted over the purported kidnapping alerted the police, leading to the discovery of the aide.
It also claimed that officers attached to the Dugbe Division in Osogbo arrested Babatunde and that he allegedly confessed to staging the incident after being taken to the police station.
However, the Osun State Government said it was the one that reported the matter to the police and had no reason to interfere with the investigation.
Rasheed said an incident report was immediately lodged with the police after Babatunde sent a message claiming that he had been kidnapped.
He said the matter was subsequently referred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Osun State Police Command, which commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported abduction.
“It would be recalled that when the media aide sent a text message that he had been kidnapped, an incident report was immediately lodged with the police under the instruction of the Chief of Staff,” Rasheed said.
The governor’s spokesperson also dismissed reports that the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, and other senior government officials were attempting to stop the police from investigating the matter.
“It was therefore a falsehood from the pit of hell to assert that the Chief of Staff or any state official was trying to prevent the police from conducting an investigation into a matter which the state government originally reported to the police service,” he said.
Rasheed also rejected allegations that government officials attempted to bribe the police to suppress the investigation, describing the claims as unfounded.
“Nobody in the government is attempting to bribe the police and the police have not received any kobo from state officials as libellously asserted in a publication,” he said.
He said the state government was awaiting the outcome of the police investigation and would determine its next steps based on the findings.
“The police are currently investigating the matter while the state government is also waiting for the outcome of the investigation for further action,” Rasheed said.
The spokesperson maintained that Governor Adeleke and other senior officials remained committed to allowing law enforcement agencies to carry out their statutory responsibilities without interference.
Source: Dailypost