A Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS), has strongly condemned the arrest of an Osogbo born politician and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdulfatai Diekola Oyedele, and five others.

Oyedele, popularly called ‘Jagun of Osun Politics’ by his admirers and five others were on Monday arrested over trumped-up charge of alleged public disturbance by the men of the State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The other person arrested along with Alhaji Oyedele were; the sons of Osogbo Community leaders, Prince Dejo Babalola and Alhaji S.B. Daodu, Folusho Babalola and Adebayo Daodu respectively, one Lekan Onikola and two others.

The group described the arrest as political, illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, undemocratic, and a crime against humanity and God, maintaining that it was “irresponsible on the part of the state government to orchestrate politically motivated arrest against the people with different political views at a time people of the state were clamouring for total change.

The group also condemned the illegal and indefinite suspension of three staffers of the state owned broadcasting station, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) over frivolity on Monday without query as stipulated by the Civil Service Rules.

Among those suspended were; Mrs. Folakemi Alonge of the Editorial department while Mr. Kunle Makanjuola and Mr. Gbadebo Adepoju were of the Marketing department. The station had earlier suspended its Director of News and Current Affairs of the Radio arm, Mr. Olushola Ajiboye over unsubstantiated allegation.

Reacting to the development through a signed statement, CSCEOS Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman alleged that “the illegal arrest and suspension were on the orders of Governor Aregbesola as a way to silent any perceived enemy of his administration as he did to Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede.

The statement, however, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris and State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olafimihan Adeoye, not to allow the Police to turn to the “witch-hunt machinery to be used to silence political opponents, which is against democratic norms and values.”

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