Former Lawmaker, Two others Arrested As Ex-Deputy Speaker Alleges Threat To Life

Former Lawmaker, Two others Arrested As Ex-Deputy Speaker Alleges Threat To Life

Ogun SSG’s Associate, Two Others In Police Detention For Cultism, Threat To Life.

The police have arrested a former member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Joseph Adegbesan, and two other suspects over allegations bordering on cultism, breach of public peace, threat to life and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

Adegbesan, a close associate of the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, was picked up on Thursday alongside the others, Muibi Olufodun and one Samson, by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team, Force Headquarters, Abuja. 

Their arrest followed a petition written to the police authorities by the lawmaker representing Ijebu North II State Constituency, Hon. Oludare Kadiri. 

According to an informed source, the three suspects were nabbed by armed policemen and whisked to Lagos. 

Other accomplices of the suspects, the source stated, were still at large. 

“Yes, it’s true that armed policemen came today and arrested Hon. Adegbesan.

He was apprehended in Awa (a town in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State). Muibi was arrested in Ago-Iwoye. 

All the accused persons were subsequently taken away. 

We learnt that the officers were from the IG squad,” the source told our correspondent. 

It was gathered that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, had directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Intelligence Bureau to act on the petition filed by Kadiri’s counsel, Oludare Adejare Esq alleging threat to the life of his client.

When contacted, the head of Intelligence Response Team, Tunji Disu, directed Our Correspondent to confirm from the Police Public Relation Officer. 

Confirming the arrest, the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the IRT actually came to the State to arrest the suspects, but it’s only the Squad that can speak more on it.

He said the arrest followed a petition written by Hon. Kadir to the IGP team. 

It will be recalled that Kadiri, who currently represents Ijebu North II State Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, had accused one of his predecessors, 

Joseph Adegbesan, of allegedly sponsoring suspected cultists to attack and kill him. 

A copy of the petition obtained by our correspondent yesterday indicated that some of the accomplices of the accused had sometimes confessed to killing two students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye. 

The petitioner, through his counsel, Oludare Adejare Esq, called for “detailed, speedy and expedite investigation and subsequent prosecution” of the suspects. 

The petition partly read, “We have been briefed by our client who is a member of Ogun State House of Assembly representing Ijebu North II State Constituency, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State that one Muritala Babatunde (aka Muri etee) who was alleged sometimes in 2018 of being a member of Aye Confraternity and killing of two (2) students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye of Ogun State stated that Honourable Joseph Adegbesan who was a former member of Ogun State House of Assembly purchased him a gun, ammunition and that he is a major sponsor of the Aye Confraternity. 

The said ammunitions that were purchased by Honourable Joseph Adegbesan for the Aye Confraternity to kill the two (2) students of Olabisi Onabanjo University. 

“Our client further informed us that the situation of things has taken a new turn in his constituency as he got discreet information that the same Honourable Joseph Adegbesan and his cohorts namely Muibi Moibi Olufodun and Gbenga Suberu among others have sponsored cult members of the Aye Confraternity to kill him. 

“We are further apprised that one Sule Ganiyu, Lekan Ojulopesi and one (1) other came fully armed to the House of Assembly on the 3rd of February, 2021 on the invitation of Honourable Joseph Adegbesan. 

Our client further averred that upon sighting them, he informed his then Orderly Inspector Kola who before he could effect an arrest of the said Sule Ganiyu and others, they had absconded.

Our client was however in oblivion that the said Sule Ganiyu and his other members of the Aye Confraternity headed to our client’s brother’s house where they threatened to kill our client’s brother (Toba Kadiri) and instructed him to inform our client that they will kill him as well.

Our client was able to get few of the names of the cultists who are Sunday Amazing, Samson Akibola (aka Damson Guard), Ade Olooto (aka Ade eba) and Lekan Ojulopesi.

“Sule Ganiyu who was detained hitherto by the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran confirmed that he and other accomplices viz Lekan Ojulopesi and one (1) other have been sponsored by Hon. Joseph Adegbesan and his cohorts. 

Sule Ganiyu has been initially arrested sometimes ago by the police officers at Awa Police Station, Ijebu by (before being transferred to Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran where he is presently detained) where he contended upon interrogation that Hon. Joseph Adegbesan and his aforementioned cohorts summoned him (Sule Ganiyu) and his two (2) other colleagues of the Aye Confraternity to the Hon. Adegbesan’s house where they converged and agreed to take over Ijebu North II State Constituency in entirety. 

Sule Ganiyu and two (2) others as planned headed fully armed to Oru Park to manifest their malicious intention where they were arrested thanks to the timely intervention of the Awa Police Divisional Police Officer.

“It is however to our greatest surprise that the said Sule Ganiyu has being receiving an imperial treatment at the Ogun State Command, Eleweran till date having the resonation that same is the case regarding Hon. Joseph Adegbesan who has also been walking freely and without any confinement, boasting hysterically to the public that he is indeed above the law. 

“Consequence upon this disheartening occurrences as well as the discreet information he received regarding Honourable Joseph Adegbesan and Muibi Olufodun being the sponsors and brain box behind the regrouping of the Aye Confraternity, our client has been falsely imprisoned by fear as he has no confidence left in him to move around freely even the arrest of the aforementioned Sule Ganiyu. 

“In view of these, we hereby beseech you to use your agency’s recognized accepted expertise to investigate this matter giving it utmost immediacy, competence and urgency so that the culprits are brought to book.”