Tobias Sylvester
Ondo State deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi has raised an alarm that the security details attached to him and his office were withdrawn by the Nigeria Police Force in the state.
Ajayi in a statement on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Babatope Okeowo, accused the Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami of carrying out the move.
The deputy governor said the withdrawal of the escorts had put his life and those of his family and staff members in danger. He said:
‘The Ondo State deputy governor, His Excellency, Agboola Ajayi, wishes to raise the alarm over the withdrawal of his police escort on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami, putting his life, family and staff in danger.
“This is the same Commissioner of Police that took the deputy governor hostage on Saturday 21st of June, 2020 for more than four hours at the Government House gate despite the fact that he enjoys immunity under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are not oblivious of their surreptitious move to undermine the security of the deputy governor and strip him of his security apparatus to make him venerable in order to carry out their evil agenda.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and Director General of State Security Service, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, should be aware of this latest ugly development in Ondo State.
“Should anything happen to the deputy governor, his family and staff, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State should be held responsible, ” he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Tee-Leo Ikoro denied the allegations and also promised to respond fully soon.
This is coming following the incident on Saturday night, when Ajayi was prevented from leaving Ondo Government House by the state Police Commissioner, who was acting on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s instructions.
The deputy governor and some personal aides had gone to the Government House to move out his personal belongings ahead of his planned defection to the PDP in preparation of the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.
Ajayi has since then resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
