The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for a police investigation into the reported abduction of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s Special Assistant, Shakiru Babatunde, alleging that the incident was staged.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party alleged that the abduction was orchestrated to implicate the opposition and create political tension in the state.
According to the APC, Babatunde’s purported abduction was initially announced by some state government officials on social media, with allegations that the opposition was responsible.
The party claimed the case took a different turn when police officers attached to the Dugbe Divisional Police Station in Osogbo allegedly found Babatunde and arrested him at a hideout, where he reportedly confessed to staging the incident.
The APC alleged that the development was intended to portray the party as responsible for insecurity in the state and create the impression that the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu had failed to tackle criminality.
“It is a criminal offence for anyone to fake his or her kidnapping. The offender upon conviction is liable to 10-20 years imprisonment,” the party said.
It further alleged that some officials of the state government had been attempting to prevent the matter from receiving public attention.
“It is unfortunate that this is a grave offence some officials of the state government in collusion with pliable security agents want to sweep under the carpet,” Olabisi said.
The party urged the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution where necessary.
“We are appealing to the state Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to pay a particular attention to this case to serve as a deterrent to future criminal act,” the statement added.
The APC did not provide independent evidence to substantiate its claims that the incident was politically motivated.
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