Lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the suspended chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, who accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting local government funds.
Adedayo was detained by DSS on Friday after he honoured an invitation from the security agency.
The local government chairman has been held incommunicado by the DSS since Friday without a statement on why he has been kept in custody for over 48 hours.
Reacting, Falana recalled that Adedayo was invited by the Ogun State Command of DSS to respond to a petition submitted to the service by the Ogun State Government.
“In the said petition, it was alleged that Mr Adedayo had instigated widespread acts of public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East Local Government,” Falana stated.
He said that despite the fact that Adedayo denied the allegation, DSS “has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun.”
Speaking further, Falana advised the governor to sue Adedayo for libel.
He went down memory lane when he said the late Gov Olabisi Onabanjo had in 1981 sued the National Concord newspaper for libel, while former Gov Segun Osoba also sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in 2001, saying “both governors won the libel suits.”
Falan said: “Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, I am compelled to request the Ogun State Command of the SSS to release Mr. Adedayo from custody forthwith.”
