The Department of State Services (DSS) has detained a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, over alleged attempted murder of Vice chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikenne Local Government, Muhammed Efuwape, and another member of the party identified as Biola.
Adebutu was detained by the security agency after honouring an invitation over alleged attempted murder of the two individuals during the just concluded Local Government elections in the state.
The Publicity Secretary of the Ogun chapter of the PDP, Kayode Adebayo, confirmed the development to newsmen yesterday.
He said, “This is to inform members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, that the leader of the party has indeed been detained by the DSS on charges yet unknown.
“However, our principal has called for calm and directed all members, supporters, and well-wishers to remain assured that this time shall pass. It is one of the prices of our democracy.
“Several efforts have been made to secure his bail as of 10 p.m. on Monday, November 18, 2024, either on personal recognition or through a surety, but none has yielded results so far. His lawyers have been informed and will address the matter on Tuesday morning.”
The Secretary of the state PDP chapter, Dr Sunday Solarin, earlier clarified that Adebutu was not arrested but voluntarily honoured a DSS invitation concerning the conduct of the Local Government elections held on Saturday.
The government has accused Adebutu of deploying illegal police officers to perpetrate violence during the election in the Iperu area of the state.
Earlier, Adebutu accused Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, of using the military, the police, and armed hoodlums to unleash terror on opposition members during the elections.
Adebutu alleged that the hoodlums, allegedly working for the governor, shot at police officers escorting one of his aides during voting.
He further claimed that one of the police officers attached to him was injured during the attack, while a gun taken by the hoodlums was later found in the possession of the governor’s Chief Security Officer.
Adebutu also accused the governor of moving around in two buses loaded with hoodlums who were used to perpetrate violence during the election.
Efuwape was said to have escaped death by the whiskers with injuries, but Biola wasn’t so lucky as the gunshots shattered his legs, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he is receiving medical attention. It was learned that Adebutu illegally brought in over 40 policemen from MOPOL 49 in Lagos, with PDP thugs riding on Okadas, going around and trying to snatch ballot boxes while brandishing guns and other weapons in Ikenne Local Government in their desperate attempt to scuttle the electoral process.
Source said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, was notified of the development, and he immediately instructed the Ogun State Police Commissioner, CP Abiodun Alamutu, to assemble men of MOPOL 16 and MOPOL 71 to proceed to their hideout and arrest the illegal policemen.
While some of them escaped by scaling the fence, others were arrested and taken into custody in the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
“The mobile policemen were said to have opened fire on the DSS operatives, and upon learning of the development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun was said to have given orders to a contingent from MOPOL 16 and MOPOL 71 to effect the arrest of everyone within the house,” a source said.
