You Lied, Aregbesola’s Aide Replies Osun Police

The aide to the former governor of Osun, Comrade Abosede Oluwasuen Safety, who was attacked in his Osogbo residence days back has reacted to the public service announcement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Osun Police Command as touching the said attack on Tuesday.

In the said statement by the police, the PPRO dismissed the news making the rounds that the attack on Mr. Abosede was not an assassination athtempt.

She also claimed that the police were the ones who chased the robbers and recovered the stolen vehicle after the robbers trailed the wife of the victim to their house and snatched his phone and vehicle.

Responding, Mr. Abosede described the statement of the police as lies, spurious and malicious.

The statement reads in full, “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have bothered to respond to a statement issued by SP Opalola Yemisi Olawoyin, Police Public Relations Officer, Osun State Police Command on the 31st August 2021, debunking a statement tagged “AREGBESOLA’S AIDE ESCAPES ASSASSINATION AS ARMED MEN ATTACK HIS HOME” but for lies concocted in the statement which could be misleading to the general public, hence this rejoinder.

“In the first instance, I was attacked by masked armed men in my house shortly after 10pm of Thursday, 26th of August, 2021 while the police arrived the house around 1am; clearly two hours after the criminals had gone with my car and phone; this because my wife and myself hands were tied and mouths stuffed and gagged; taking me time to reach neighbours who could untie me, return to wife, then proceed to get help, and then the police.

“Therefore, the statement from the police that, “Immediately the Police received the report, Police detectives from Dada Estate and other Tactical squads swung into action and chased the hoodlums which led to the recovery of the said stolen vehicle while the hoodlums escaped after removing the front and rear plates number” is a blatant lie.

“Police couldn’t have “chased the hoodlums” that had gone 2hrs since!

“In addition, it was around 6am of Friday, 27th August, on my way back to the station, with my allies that we spotted the car; parked at about 10 meters to the gate of the police station, the car key left on the driver’s seat, and then we called the attention of police who were themselves shocked at the development.

“Having inspected it, nothing was missing except the car plate numbers, Arsenal stickers, and all political related documents and personal ID cards. So, where and how did the police “chase the hoodlums which led to the recovery of the said stolen vehicle?”.

“Moreover, it is unprofessional of the police to declare that “The case is purely an armed robbery incident as nobody was killed” when no arrest has been made and investigation not yet completed.

“Again, I did not allege any assassination plot as claimed by the Police when they stated, “I wish to state categorically that discreet investigation carried out does not reveal any form of assassination…” Neither in my written statement to the police nor in the report of leading local online media, like Osun Defender, was there any reference to assassination.

“If the fact of brutality to myself and family, threat to snuff out my life, and the strange incidence of returning the vehicle to where myself and the police can clearly recover it, with the focus of the assailants more on obtaining my documentations than material valuable, made any sympathetic writer suggest “attempted assassinations,” the police must simply factor it in as one of several possibilities during their thorough investigation rather than rush to clearly fictitious and partisan conclusions on a case they have not conclusively investigated!

“The statement of the police that “the case is purely an armed robbery incident as nobody was killed” speaks to no sense at all.

“Lastly, the claim that “some hoodlum trailed his wife to his house” is spurious and maliciously fallacious considering what they learned on arrival and contained in my statement unless the author of the statement knows more about the attack than myself and the police officers who were on the ground.

“My wife and children had been home hours before my arrival after 10 pm, and the attack commenced after my entry; if anything, it is I and not my wife that was trailed home.

“The Police statement released shows them as being partisan in this matter without the writer being smart or intelligent about it.

“An attitude like this is one justifiable reason in the argument of opponents to state police creation, and disincentives to citizens who are wary of relying on law enforcement agencies but resort to self-help.

“Contrary to police insinuation that fake stories circulating around this incidence could create “unnecessary panic, tension, and commotion in the State,” the Police are the ones that are actually instrumental in generating tension and panic. For instance, Police arraigning Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, Caretaker State Secretary of APC; Elder Biyi Adelowo, immediate APC State Chairman and leader of The Osun Progressives, along with five others (some of who I stood surety for) on trumped-up charges with the intention to sending them to correctional center for their leadership roles in the APC Ward Congress Appeal Committee sitting.

“Police are supposed to be neutral and professional, not deceptive allies of desperate politicians.”