The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to caution the state Police Commissioner, Patrick Kehinde Longe from becoming a willing tool of government to gag the opposition from operating in the State.
The APC in a statement by its Acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal issued on Sunday, alleged that the CP had after meeting with the PDP leadership concluded plans to redeploy Divisional Police Officers across the state with a view to imposing compromised ones to deal with APC members ahead of the general elections next month.
He added that the CP has agreed to help the ruling party muzzle opposition voices in the state by embarking on massive arrests using DPOs that will be deployed any moment from Monday.
“This is a serious problem that we are contending with which is capable of adding to the political upheaval in the state where the members of the opposition and their supporters are being attacked by suspected PDP thugs for no reason.
“We have the privileged information that the DPOs are to be transferred massively in order to give way to compromised ones who would always be ready to carry out any illegal orders of Governor Ademola and the PDP.
“We are appealing to the IGP to call the Osun CP to order. We are equally appealing to the other sister security agencies in the state to discharge their statutory duties with neutrality and desist from any assignment capable of impugning the image of their outfits.
“It is our resolve that acceding to illegal arrest of any of our members and leaders is an invitation to anarchy which will not do anyone any good.
“In order to corroborate our allegation and fear, some of our members were invited by a section of the statutory security agencies in the state over their remarks on social media just last week,” he said.
Reacting, police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola described the allegation as baseless and lacking any substance.
“I am not aware of any plot to arrest opposition party members nor the massive transfer of DPOs across the state. The CP is focused on maintenance of law and order across the state,” she added. (Vanguard)
