The Osun State Government has cautioned the state police command against yielding to alleged political pressure in the handling of a suspected bandit arrested in connection with criminal activities in the Lameco area of the state.
The government expressed concern over reports suggesting moves to secure the release of the suspect on medical grounds, warning that law enforcement agencies must not allow partisan interests to influence investigations into security-related matters.
The position of the government was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, on Monday.
The government said its reaction followed allegations raised by the Public Safety Accountability Group, which accused some prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of mounting pressure on the police to facilitate the suspect’s release.
According to the group, the visits and interventions allegedly being made on behalf of the suspect could undermine what it described as a significant breakthrough in efforts to dismantle a criminal network operating within the state.
The state government also referenced a police statement confirming that the suspect was undergoing psychiatric evaluation and that an herbalist had reportedly been treating him for mental illness over the past 10 years.
However, the government noted that the police statement did not address allegations regarding the involvement of APC chieftains in attempts to secure the suspect’s release.
It warned against any effort to manipulate law enforcement processes, stressing that such actions could weaken public confidence in the fight against insecurity and embolden criminal elements.
The government called on the police command to clarify the basis for the psychiatric claim and make public relevant documents relating to the suspect’s medical condition.
It specifically requested details of the medical report supporting the psychiatric evaluation, as well as the identity and statement of the herbalist said to have treated the suspect for a decade.
The government also sought clarification on allegations that APC leaders or their representatives had visited police facilities or contacted officers to seek the suspect’s release.
It further questioned why the police had remained silent on the matter until concerns were raised publicly by the civil society organisation.
The state government called on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to closely monitor developments surrounding the case, while urging the Commissioner of Police in Osun to ensure that the matter is handled professionally and without political interference.
The statement reads, “The government of Osun state has cautioned the state police command against caving in into political pressure over the Lameco banditry suspect, warning against unsubstantiated treatment of the subject on psychiatric ground.
“The government was responding to two separate statements and development on the subject. A civil society organisation, Public Safety Accountability Group, had this morning accused high profile Osun APC Chieftains of mounting pressure on the police to release the suspect on medical grounds.
“The group specifically questioned why the listed APC chieftains are visiting police stations to secure the suspect’s release, calling the move a ploy to cover up a major breakthrough in the dismantling of a criminal gang.
“The police had responded to the development by confirming that the suspect is undergoing psychiatric evaluation and that an herbalist had confirmed treating the suspect for madness for the past ten years.
“The police statement was however silent on the alleged involvement of some Osun APC chieftains in the push to secure bail for the suspect on psychiatric ground.
“Responding to the development, the state government warned against manipulation of law enforcement to serve partisan interest, calling the state police command to be wary of actions and activities that may embolden criminals in this delicate period.
“The government specifically asked the police command to provide answers to three questions on the suspicious plot to release such a high profile banditry suspect:
“Where is the medical report on the reported psychiatric condition of the suspect?
“Who is the herbalist and where is his statement of treating the suspect for the last 10 years?
“Is it true that APC chieftains have visited and sent emissaries to the police to secure the release of the suspect?
“Why was the police silent on the Lameco suspect until the civil society group raised eyebrows on the subject, the government asked in the statement.
“The Osun state government called the attention of the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to the development on the Lameco suspect, tasking the state Commissioner of Police to stop the ongoing politicisation of a delicate state security matter.”
