SaharaReporters on Friday reported that Nigeria’s secret police, DSS, also known as the State Security Service (SSS), had detained Adedayo.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Mr Wale Adedayo immediately.
Falana on Sunday also advised Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State to sue the detained council chairman for libel.
SaharaReporters on Friday reported that Nigeria’s secret police, DSS, also known as the State Security Service (SSS), had detained Adedayo.
Adedayo was detained at the DSS office in Abeokuta Friday evening after he honoured an invitation by the secret police.
His detention came after he accused the state governor, Abiodun, of withholding more than N17 billion statutory Federal Allocation meant for local governments in the state in the last two years.
The governor had also allegedly arranged a kangaroo impeachment process in the local government against him.
Adedayo, who made the allegation in a letter addressed to a former governor of the state, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said that Governor Abiodun had also instructed the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state, Akibu Efele, and some members of the Black Axe confraternity based in Ijebu Ode to punish him.
Adedayo noted that there had been zero federal allocation to each local government area in the state since the chairpersons got on board in 2021.
In the letter, Adedayo asked Osoba to urgently wade in and convince Abiodun to allow the statutory federal allocation to local governments in the state to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution.
Abiodun, however, denied the allegation, saying that his administration had to augment the funds allocated to local governments in the state to enable the council chairmen to meet their obligations.
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran said the local government funds were being handled by the constitutionally recognised Joint Account and Allocation Committee.
In his statement on Sunday, Falana noted that two of Abiodun’s predecessors had successfully sued for defamation and the governor should toe the same path under the circumstances.
He said, “Last week, the Chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government, Ogun State, Mr. Wale Adedayo accused the State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun of diverting the statutory allocations of the 20 local governments in the State.
“Shortly thereafter, the Council boss was invited by the Ogun State Command of the State Security Service (SSS). However, when he turned up for the invitation on 1st September 2023, he was asked to respond to the petition submitted to the Command by the 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. Even though the embattled Council boss denied the allegation of instigating acts of public disturbance, the State Security Service has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun.
“Even though the Ogun State Government has denied the allegation of funds diversion, Governor Abiodun is advised to sue Mr. Wale Adedayo for libel in the Ogun State High Court
“In similar circumstances, two of his predecessors, the late Governor Olabisi Onabanjo had sued the National Concord newspaper for libel in the Ogun State High Court in 1981 while Governor Segun Osoba sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in the Ogun State High Court in 2001. Both Governors won the libel suits.”
“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,” he added.
