In what appears to be a troubling case of alleged political intimidation, Adabanija Kamorudeen, a loyalist of former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has narrated his ordeal with the Nigeria Police Force.
The loyalist, who shared his experience on Facebook on Tuesday, accused the police of being used as tools to suppress dissenting voices while allegedly pressuring him to praise former governor Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola.
He stated that his troubles began in October 2024 after he made a Facebook post criticizing the distribution of palliative rice reportedly allocated to ministers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He claimed that instead of the rice reaching the masses, it was allegedly distributed as birthday gifts to Oyetola’s loyalists during the former governor’s 70th birthday celebration.
“I wrote on Facebook: ‘Did you know that the rice our president gave as palliative to each minister, Oyetola is using his as birthday gift for his loyalists?’ That was my crime,” he said.
According to him, this post prompted a petition by Oyetola, leading to his arrest by five police officers on October 3.
He was detained for four days at the police headquarters before being released on the condition that he tender a public apology on Facebook and publish the same in The Nation newspaper. Despite meeting these conditions, he alleged that the police continued to monitor his social media activities.
The loyalist’s woes deepened on November 15, when he received a call from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) to report to their office. He complied, only to be detained again for another Facebook post in which he commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for paying salary arrears owed by the previous administration.
𝗠𝗬 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝗕𝗬 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦.
It is very important that i make this known to the general public most especially my friends,relatives and fans… pic.twitter.com/9Csdp6EuIH
— 𝐻𝑜𝑛 𝐴𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑗𝑎 𝐾𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑛. (@AdabanijaQomaru) December 3, 2024
“This time, the police said I violated the terms of my earlier release because I mentioned Oyetola’s name in my post,” he lamented. “The officer in charge told me plainly that if I want peace, I should start using my platform to praise Oyetola.”
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Oyetola Arraigns Adabanija Over Alleged Defamation
He further alleged that he was detained for two days before being released on administrative bail. Subsequently, he was required to report to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) daily until he was arraigned in court on November 26. The case has since been adjourned to December 12.
“This harassment is a blatant violation of my fundamental human rights. They want to silence me for simply airing my views as a public commentator,” he said.
The loyalist expressed disappointment, stating that his sacrifices for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2018/2019 elections and his loyalty to Aregbesola have been met with intimidation and harassment.
“I nearly laid down my life for Oyetola to become governor, yet this is what I get in return,” he concluded, adding that he believes his God will fight for him.
Efforts to get a response from the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Opalola Yemisi, on these allegations proved abortive at the time of filing this report.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
