Shakiru Babatunde, a special assistant to Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has allegedly staged his own kidnap in a bid to extort money from some top government functionaries.
The incident reportedly happened last week Monday in Ede, Osun State.
Sources disclosed that while his self-plotted abduction lasted, the aide was said to have reached out to top government officials and other influential individuals through a third party to seek ransom for himself.
However, the plot was said to have been uncovered after the top government official that was approached called the police to intervene in the matter.
He was subsequently discovered at his hideout and arrested by officers attached to Dugbe Division in Osogbo.
“He was arrested after it was discovered that he staged his own kidnap. He was taken to the police station where he confessed to the crime,” the source said.
Another source privy to the matter told InsightMedia the top government official has been making frantic efforts to prevent the matter from getting to the public.
Sources said the DPO of the Division and the top official of Governor Adeleke’s administration had connived to bury the matter as it was deemed to be an embarrassment to the government.
When contacted, spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi denied knowledge of the arrest despite being carried out by Dugbe Division of the command.
He said the DPO of the Division denied any arrest. This confirmed the plot to keep the matter away from the public.
Who is Shakiru Babatunde?
Babatunde is a 26-year-old special assistant to the governor. He is currently undertaking his mandatory National Youth Service Corps.
InsightMedia gathered that the young Adeleke’s aide was appointed as a media assistant to the governor while he was in 300L.
A review of his Facebook page, Engr Shakbab, shows that he is close to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye as majority of his posts were promoting either the CoS or his wife, Alhaja Balkis Akinleye.